10: Hitchhiker
Zane entered the weapons store as calmly as he would at any other time. Showing fear was not something he entertained. It made no sense, achieved no goal and was a waste of energy. He wasn't entirely sure this was actually where he should be. Utilising his own sensors as well as reading the new surveillance system didn't make him feel any certainty over what he was looking for. All the readings contradicted each other. Quite frankly, it annoyed him.
He flicked through his visual sensors and surveyed the room, scanning every object that hung from the walls and were stacked in racks. The room was still. But the murmuration was humming at what felt like the back of his head. One of his sensors was vibrating, working through something that it couldn't quite scan or process and somewhere in his temporal brain he felt a call. In the rafters, two eyes opened and glowed.
'Hello friend' Zane said, looking up to see his eagle companion sitting in the dark 'Yes, my friend, I am aware we are not alone. Do you happen to know anything about this?'
With a single flap of its great wings, the eagle dropped down to Zane's shoulder 'Do I have any fears? Well I thought you knew me better. I do not fear as others might. Why do you ask?' the companion was non-forthcoming 'cryptic as always' Zane muttered, but smiled at it anyway. He held his hand up to his shoulder and the great bird hopped on, stretching its wings to balance. Zane looked into its piercing red eyes and they locked on each other, whirring and moving in and out of focus 'Hmmm' Zane considered his companion 'always a closed book. I thought you had something to show me'
The birds' eyes unlocked suddenly from his. It released its talons from Zane's arm, unfurling its wings to their fullest extent, drawing the air into them before thrusting its claws at Zane's face. He fell backwards, holding his arms up to shield himself. Zane understood sentiment, but could easily put this aside to defend an attack. He pushed his arm forward against the creations' strong chest, its wings beating against him and its beak jabbing forward, making contact with his face. It's talons scratched furiously at his body and through his clothes to the soft coating that replicated skin. An ear-piercing screech resounded around the room and sparks flew as metal dragged against metal. The effort was intense and the bird did not tire. The hundreds of mechanical joints in its wings pushing in rippled unison were stronger than even Zane's enhanced strength. The history he shared with his father's creation was not enough to stop him reciprocating. Teeth bared, Zane continued to push and was able to manoeuvre the creature enough to bring his other hand up to its jaw 'Sorry my friend' Zane said as his hand crushed the birds jaw.
The eagles' great wings flapped spasmodically and Zane covered his head again, waiting for it to power down. As it's movements slowed, Zane threw it off him and stood. He growled into the air 'next time don't think I wont take down a friend before you use them to attack me' then uncrossed his fingers from behind his back, hoping that whatever this thing was, would not be able to possess a human friend because that would be a fight he would not allow himself to win.
The murmuration was still humming away; silencing his companion had made no difference to that. Zane stepped over the sparking body and tripped. He took a moment to test his systems. His eye had been damaged and within it a sensor that judged range. He calculated the discrepancy and made adjustments to account for it. As he continued he scanned to locate the team. Jay and Nya had each other but Cole and Kai had been alone. He could see that of the four only Kai had not regrouped but he wasn't in the Control Room.
After leaving the others, Kai had heard various noises on his approach to the control room. Clanking, crashing, ripping. He had slowed abruptly when he heard them and silently moved to the door. He could probably have stamped, the noise was such that whoever was tearing up the room, would not have heard him. But his instincts insisted. He pushed the door slightly and looking through the crack, could see things being flung across the room. Panelling, wiring, furniture; it seemed indiscriminate. He manoeuvred his position and pushed the door open a little more, trying to see who was responsible. A small black clad figure was kicking the large screen and then yanked it from the wall and threw it to the ground. As they twisted with the effort, their hooded face looked up and saw Kai through the crack in the open door.
The ninja stopped abruptly. Kai froze momentarily before bursting through the door and ran at the intruder who leapt up to grab and swing away from Kai's attack on to the light hanging above. Kai's fist connected with and demolished the control panel where the the ninja had stood and his charging feet finished off the screen that lay on the floor 'FUCK' he cursed and growled a loud shout of frustration, his knuckles cut and bleeding he shook it out. He looked up to the swinging nuisance who had leapt across to a high window and was scrabbling out 'Shit…'
Kai rushed from the room to the low window in the hall. He threw it open and saw the small dark figure had leapt from the window to a tree and was swinging down and away. Naturally, Kai followed. About to leap forward, he saw them stop and look back at him. He stretched his hands forward continuing his leap and the branch he thought was there, was not. Kai fell, smashing down through the tree before he managed to swing himself onto one of the large rock formations that surrounded the temple. He was royally pissed; this little creep was making him look bad. He was up and running across the rounded layers of rock, gracefully leaping down the face as the intruder reached the ground. Kai looked ahead to try and see where they were heading. 'How did they get up here? How will they get off? Hah! Well they won't' A wry smile spread across Kai's face as he saw the intruder pull up where the ground fell away in front of them. The island's rim, its line undulating, hidden by bushes and trees, was hazardous and could catch you out. If you weren't careful, you could easily find yourself in free fall without a parachute 'Gotcha'
Kai reached the ground momentarily after the Ninja realised its precarious situation. Looking round it could no longer see Kai, who approached silently using the thick foliage as cover. He heard it curse under its breath and he smiled 'cat and mouse, dude, cat and mouse' he whispered as, in the bushes, he crept closer to the figure. From his crouch, Kai swept a low kick along the ground and took the intruders ankles out from under them. Though taken by surprise the Ninja fell expertly and recovered almost immediately. Kai jumped clear of the bushes, unleashing a fast combination of attacking punches and low kicks. The ninja had recovered well and blocked expertly but could not find a break in the assault to worry Kai any. They were just meters from the edge of the island and Kai didn't care too much if the intruder happened to go over the edge, but he thought he should probably apprehend them for questioning. He didn't fancy having Cole on his back for general idiocy again. As they fought, he kept the edge firmly in his line of sight. This was one fight he could not afford to mess up and by rights this little squirt should be tiring any minute now, because quite frankly, Kai had set out at a blistering pace and he was flagging, even if he didn't show it.
The intruder blocked and diverted Kai's assault calmly, with precision and knew this would be more effective than to try to out punch a brute. She was small and nimble and didn't need great strength to floor an opponent; they would do that to themselves. Allowing her arms to flow with Kai's strong, purposeful lunges felt like a dance. He was accomplished for sure, but his own aggression played him like a fool. She could imagine her Master shaking their head at him and stroking his cheek before striking it. He had a nice cheek, she wouldn't like to see it hit; those high cheek bones would split apart far too easily. She was apart from herself again, watching from the outside while her physical form remained in the zone. It didn't happen often, but when it did, she loved it. Everything slowed for her to consider her position and adjust her response as she was simultaneously adjusting her attackers perception. The tree had been perfect, he would never have realised; thinking his slip was a momentary lapse in concentration. The position of the edge… he would realise something was not right as he fell through the illusion, but it didn't matter whether he realised, because he would not survive to tell.
She cast her eyes down at the thought and felt herself drawn back to the moment and into the reality of the fight; her momentary sadness for the impending demise of her handsome attacker had caused her concentration to lapse. She was pushed back with a strong hand at her throat 'stupid'she choked as she stepped backwards and fell through the illusion, pulling the attacker down with her. Her Master would be very disappointed in her.
They fell. Where Kai's hand had been at her throat, it now released. His face, the air drawn from his lungs, was caught in a rictus of shock and then changed to pure confused anger. Flames burst from his hands and hair and he flailed in the air trying to once again reach her. The more he struggled the more the flames grew around him, until his eyes and teeth were all that remained of his perfect face. She was just out of reach, so she pulled off her hood, looked at him and held her finger to her mouth 'shhhh' he needed to calm down. His confusion didn't abate, but his flames did.
Kai looked at this strange girl. She had fooled him; she was not what he had thought. Now he felt foolish as he realised he was staring. Pale skin, white hair and the blood red rings of her eyes. She held out her hand to him and without any other option, he took it 'What now?' he shouted.
She pulled her small frame into him, bringing her knees up, ball like. Kai was confused. From the way she held on to him andthefrailty of their situation, he felt an odd mix of fear, anger and protectiveness; if they were both to die from this fall, then hewanted to die comforting her and began to bring his arms around to hold her. Though before Kai knew what was going on she had extended her legs and slipped around his waist onto his back 'I'm sorry' she said into his ear and secured his wrists together. Kai was fuming, all protective sentiment towards this creature, gone. She rolled him overto look up at her and the clouds beyond. She smiled sweetly even though he was glowing red and about to erupt with frustration 'wait' she asked of him, her eyes wide and calm and for some reason he wanted to 'Do as I say, when I say' hanging on her words he waited 'Fire everything you have into the ground… NOW' she shouted.
The fire raged from his bound hands and arms; a powerful thrust, using the ground to slow their descent as it rushed up at the very last moment. The girl grabbed Kai's shirt in her hands and pulled into him. Using his body as a shield, the fire sped vertically around her. Kai's body crashed down, his head recoiled back into the ground knocking him out. Thrown to the side at the impact and coughing from the smoke and dust, the girl crawled slowly back to him. She held herself up on her hands and a sad expression came over her 'I'm sorry' and leaning down, kissed his cheek 'you're beautiful' she whispered. Standing, she grabbed his ankle 'help me with him' she said as a second small Ninja walked through the smoke to her.