Chapter 21
Misako took a long slow sip from her coffee. The cup was warm to the touch, almost uncomfortably so. She found the feeling comforting.
With a sigh, she reluctantly lowered the cup.
She booted up her laptop, not bothering to scroll past Ninjago City's panicked news articles. She'd known things were wrong for a long, long time. Instead, she opened her research. The world of a lifetime.
Misako scrolled past the pictures of her annotated blueprints. Without ECHO's resources, her ideas were as useless as a piece of lint. She had taken too long, and done too little. And now it was too late.
The letters stared back at her in a mocking manner. Did you save your son? They asked. Did you accomplish anything?
Or did you ruin everyone's lives?
Misako raised the warm cup to her lips again. She downed the liquid too quickly, the rush of caffeine dizzying. "I tried my best."
But had she?
She wasn't really sure anymore. She couldn't recall the thought process behind any of her actions. Why had she left Garmadon behind in Kryptarium when she'd known what he had done had been right? Why had she abandoned her child?
Whatever noble purpose she had given herself before had been nothing but a comforting lie. She'd run away from everything. She'd been terrified.
"No."
Her voice resonated in the emptiness of her office. The halls outside were silent. Classes had been canceled until further notice. Too many of the students and professors had rushed to the city, in a fearful attempt to keep friends and family safe.
"No," Misako repeated, straightening. She scrolled back to the blueprints. She could make this work. Losing ECHO was a setback. But she wouldn't let everything she had sacrificed mean nothing.
A loud ringing erupted in her ears. Misako jolted. The phone. It had not rung in some time. She had begun to wonder if the system was still functional. She doubted The Overlord saw keeping up communications as a priority.
Another ring. Misako stood. Answered.
"Professor Garmadon of Archeology speaking."
Instead of words, the sound in her ear was a scoff of laughter. The sound made her heart twist. It was a sound she doubted she'd ever hear again.
Kept the last name then, huh?
"Garmadon!?" Misako leaned against her desk.
Good to know you still remember what my voice sounds like. Garmadon replied, laughing again. I'm going to keep this quick. I don't want this conversation to last longer than it has to.
Misako waited.
You know what's going on in the city?
"Yes. I know about Lloyd."
Anything you can do to help? Garmadon asked. I'd hate to head over there, only to realize you're as useless at helping our son as you were in helping me.
Misako did her best to ignore the harsh tone. "There's something I've been working on. But I don't know if it would work. And I don't know how I'd be able to-"
No need for a story, Misako. It's a yes or no question. Can you help?
For a moment, she gritted her teeth. Then, she reminded herself that Garmadon had every right to be as bitter as he was. "Yes."
Well, see you soon, Professor, Garmadon said before cutting off the call.
"See you soon." Misako responded, to no one. She slowly moved the phone back into place. Then she stood still, mind reeling, her heart aching with desperate confusion.
All in all, Lloyd could say he should have seen this coming.
It would have taken a really big idiot to believe otherwise.
All in all, Lloyd could say he was a really big idiot.
The warning signs had all been there. Lloyd could see them now. Way, way too clearly. After all, when you were nothing more than a shivering thought, there was not much to do other than, well, think.
The Overlord was always busy doing things Lloyd wanted no part of. It was easier to immerse himself into his memories.
Lloyd liked thinking about the others. And he liked thinking about his dad.
There was one memory Lloyd had stubbornly avoided. But he kept edging toward it, dancing around the general details, before rushing off to something more pleasant. Seeing the same things on a loop, however, was a boring past time. Even if they were nice.
So with a deep, metaphorical, breath, Lloyd revisited his final day in boarding school.
He had been mad. Really mad.
Lloyd paced the halls with huffing breaths, ranting to the voice inside his head.
"He's supposed to be my friend." Lloyd hissed. He slowed his stomps by a window. Outside, Lloyd's classmates tossed a ball around, joking with one another. Joking about him no doubt. "But he's only my friend when it's convenient. And he makes fun of me when it isn't."
You should teach him to respect you, the voice in his head suggested, and Lloyd nodded along. Respect. Yeah. If Brad knew about half the things he could do. . .
But they were supposed to be a secret. His dad had been very clear about that, in most of the letters Lloyd received. Don't trust the voice. Don't accept what it offers.
Don't. Don't. Don't.
Lloyd pouted. "How about don't leave me in the worst place that ever existed?"
Your father will never know. The voice cooed in Lloyd's ears. The child found himself nodding again. Brad deserved to be taught a lesson.
"Tonight." Lloyd agreed at last.
Tonight, the voice echoed. Lloyd shuddered with excitement. He couldn't tell if it was coming from him or from the voice inside his mind.
The wait was nearly unbearable. Each time Brad slipped into Lloyd's field of vision, he couldn't help but smile slyly. Brad had absolutely no idea what was coming his way.
After dinner, the teachers herded them to the dormitories. As Lloyd struggled to construct a plan that would leave him alone with Brad, a tug on his sleeve solved every one of his problems. Lloyd turned.
"Hey, I-um, can you come with me?" Brad's eyes shifted. The teachers near them were distracted. "I'm- I know you're upset but- I didn't want- See, Gene is the one you should be mad at, he's the one who had the idea."
"I believe you," Lloyd lied, with exaggerated kindness. He was surprised to see Brad drink his words right up. "Where are we going?"
"The attic." Brad smirked proudly, flashing an old key in Lloyd's direction. "I'll bet we find something there that'll really spook Gene. Then he'll leave you alone for sure!"
The attic!
Things could not have been any better. Lloyd nodded enthusiastically.
Sneaking away was easy. Brad and Lloyd were small, and they were both used to slipping out of people's sights. They snickered softly and teasingly shoved each other as they worked to unlock the door to the attic. Lloyd could feel the power inside him pulsing just beneath the surface, so, so eager to be unleashed.
"What do you think they keep here?" Brad asked, climbing up an aged set of stairs. Each step groaned beneath his weight. Lloyd followed behind, the smile in his features growing.
"Old stuff." Lloyd shrugged, not really interested. Brad clicked on the light switch. The bulb was dim, causing shadows to drape over every object. Perfect.
Now? The voice questioned.
"Now." Lloyd responded.
"Now, what?" Brad wondered, turning back to face his friend. "What are you-. . . Ll-Lloyd?"
Brad took a step back. Lloyd took a step forward. Darkness converged around him, feeling Lloyd with glee. He could feel the shadows wrapping themselves around him. Comforting friends.
"You messed with the wrong person, Brad." Lloyd didn't know where the words had come from. They felt right. Especially while Brad quivered in fear. Lloyd wished he had a camera.
With a flick of his wrist, the shadows wrapped themselves around Brad. Lifted him a couple of feet of the ground. "You're- You're really scaring me, Lloyd. What's-What are you doing?"
Lloyd wanted to drop Brad then. Channel the energy back toward himself. End it all with a good dose of mocking laughter. Brad would eventually laugh too. Then maybe, they'd plan to use Lloyd's abilities on Gene himself. See how he liked being humiliated.
Except none of the things Lloyd wanted happened. Everything only got worse.
A rush of memories that weren't his own flooded Lloyd's mind.
Brad's skin began to grow pale. At first Lloyd thought it was only fear. Then he realized whatever was inside him was beginning to feel stronger.
The darkness somehow managed to deepen. The shadows turned from friends to shackles.
Stop! Lloyd shouted, except the sound was only in his mind. His lips wouldn't part. His body wouldn't budge. And all the while, Brad grew weaker and weaker. Stop it! This isn't what-
The lightbulb burst. Brad's body dropped to the floor. Lloyd took a gasping breath, the feeling of his body rushing to him all at once.
No shadows in the darkness.
"Why did you-" Lloyd shook his head. "I said stop. You didn't listen."
The voice hadn't answered then. And Lloyd hadn't had time to wonder about much more. He heard Brad begin to cry softly. For now. But soon enough they'd find him. And what would they do to him then?
Lloyd hadn't known. And he had been too afraid to find out. So he'd run.
Toward the only person he had known he could trust.
His father.
"Why are you helping us?" Kai asked Harumi.
They were traveling in a small car. Nya would have surely known the model, maybe even the exact date it had been manufactured. All Kai knew, was that it was cramped. And uncomfortable.
Garmadon sat in the front seat. The driver was one of Harumi's many. . . henchmen? Co-rebels? Friends? He had forgettable features and attitude. Kai smirked. A background character in the flesh.
Harumi sat beside him. Her blonde hair was tied up in a loose bun. Although her expression appeared to be relaxed, the tapping fingers against her thigh suggested otherwise. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I help you? I do live in Ninjago City too, you know."
"Fair point." Kai acknowledged. "So let me rephrase the question. How come you have an actual hideout and a bunch of buddies to go with it? Lloyd didn't start causing mayhem till a few days ago. And yet. . ."
Harumi didn't respond instantly. Her eyes lingered on Kai. He could practically see her carefully weaving an answer in her head. She gave a soft laugh and shook her head, as if the truth were simply ridiculous. "You're going to laugh if I tell you."
"I. . . can't say I won't but it would probably be good to be honest with each other." Kai said.
"Well, for as long as I can remember, I've known Garmadon was innocent. It's a long story. But I hated knowing he was in Kryptarium for doing something that had to be done." Harumi's voice was soft, as if she didn't want anyone else to hear her words. She leaned closer to Kai, and he did the same. "Everything I did was to try and get him out. That's why I have such a big team. Breaking someone out of that prison should have taken a lot of manpower. But I guess people with powers work just as well.
"I'm glad you got him out. Thank you for that."
"Oh- I- well-" Kai shifted back away from Harumi. He hadn't exactly known what to expect when questioning the girl, but gratitude sure hadn't been on the list. "You're welcome. But, really, it was all Lloyd. We wouldn't have done anything if it hadn't had been for him."
"Right. Lloyd." Something Harumi's voice put Kai on edge again. He studied her for a moment, but nothing at all seemed to be amiss. She'd done nothing to gain such mistrust from him. She was only trying to help.
Or was she?
Kai shook his head, turning back toward the window. Maybe things had gone wrong for him one time too many, and now he was seeing shadows and monsters where there was nothing at all.
They arrived at the university, after what seemed like years of sitting still. Kai hopped out of the car, eager to get moving.
The place was bigger than what Kai had initially pictured. At the moment, it was mostly empty, but he could easily imagine students rushing to and fro. Some eager, some reluctant. For a moment, Kai imagined himself as one of them. What would he study? Where would he go?
Who could he become?
"You going to stand there all day, kid?"
Kai's eyes shifted over to Garmadon. He and Harumi were looking back, waiting. Kai trotted forward to meet them.
Study? Now that he'd been shaken back into reality, Kai almost laughed at the thought. The shop needed him. As did his sister. Once things were back on track, he wouldn't have any sort of time to goof around.
"So Lloyd's mom, huh?" Kai asked, as they moved through the halls, occasionally asking for directions. "What's the story there?"
"The 'story there' is none of your business." Garmadon responded.
"I'm just trying to make casual conversation. No need to be so feisty." Kai said, earning half a smile from Harumi. He returned the gesture.
"We met in ECHO." Garmadon relented. "Married, eventually. Then she decided to disappear when everything fell apart."
They stopped, after reaching the office of Lloyd's mom. Impatient as he felt, Kai respected Garmadon's hesitation. After muttering a couple of choices words under his breath, the grey-haired man knocked.
The door opened. The sudden wave of tension was so grand, it almost felt like an extra physical presence. Garmadon and the woman stared at one another for a long moment, each too busy with their own thoughts to speak.
It was Garmadon who broke the silence. "Misako."
"Garmadon."
Silence. Again.
Kai rolled his eyes. Held out his hand. "I'm Kai. And that's Harumi. And you can help us with Lloyd?"
"Kai," Misako's smile widened as she took him in. "Wow. You grew into quite the handsome gentleman, huh?"
She grasped Kai's shoulders, studying him momentarily before pulling him into an embrace. Kai deeply regretted drawing attention to himself. "I saw you on the news. Your powers. . . They're far more than we ever could have expected. How difficult are they to control? Do they require much stamina? Can your own fire harm you, or are you immune to its effects? How-"
Garmadon pulled Kai back out of Misako's grasp. Kai had never felt more grateful.
"If you don't mind, Misako, we aren't in a lab, and Kai isn't some specimen for you to study. What do you know about getting rid of that . . . thing, inside Lloyd?"
"Right." Misako straightened herself. "I'm sorry. I can't help asking questions sometimes. I hope I didn't freak you out."
"It's- uh- It's all good." Kai responded, but still increased the distance between himself and Misako.
"Well. . . You should come in." Misako stepped inside her office, waving the others inside. She sat behind a large desk, shuffling through a stack of papers. Garmadon and Harumi remained standing. After a couple of seconds to make sure neither of them were going to move, Kai sat on the only other chair.
"Here we go." Misako slid a paper forward. They all leaned toward it. It looked like some sort of blueprint, but not for anything Kai could recognize.
"What is it?" Harumi asked.
"A weapon." Misako said, simply. She turned to Kai. "It'll work with your powers. Channel them. Use them on ECHO's systems, to purge it from them."
"It'll weaken him. And if you can find the root of everything, it should be destroyed completely."
"The root." Kai echoed. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, the place it was originated from. It wasn't born in Lloyd's mind. It latched onto it. So there must be another source."
Kai saw Garmadon's eyes shift, but the man didn't comment.
"And how are we supposed to find it?"
"That's the catch." Misako sighed. "I don't know. And there's also two other things."
Kai waited. He didn't like the expression on Misako's face. And he was sure he wouldn't like whatever words would soon come out of her mouth.
"The only place you'll be able to build the weapons will be in one of ECHO's labs." Misako said. Garmadon scoffed.
"Great." Kai sighed. They'd only just managed to escape the place. And now they had to waltz right back in? At the very least, he hoped The Overlord wouldn't be expecting it. The element of surprise might come to their aid one last time.
"I'll do my best to write clear instructions. I hope it won't be too difficult." Misako bit her lip, eyeing the blueprints with worry. "If there was someway to keep contact, maybe, we could-"
"Why don't you go yourself?" Garmadon challenged.
"What?"
"I mean, you seem to know a lot more about those things than these kids. Why not go with them yourself? Too dangerous? Too much?"
Misako narrowed her eyes. "I know my limits, Garmadon. I'd only slow them down."
"You always have an excuse at the ready, don't you? A perfect reason to do perfectly nothing." Garmadon shook his head. "Forget about leaving me in Kryptarium. Why did you abandon Lloyd? The kid needed you."
"I did what I thought was right. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I-"
"Jay can build it." Kai said loudly, cutting off Misako's words. He reached for the blueprints. Rolled them up. "He's good with these things."
"Oh." Misako blinked. Nodded. Suddenly remembered her and Garmadon weren't the only ones in her office. "That's. . . that would work well. Yes. Good."
"And the third thing?"
"The what?"
"You said there were two more things, aside from finding the root." Kai waved the blueprints. "This is one. What's the other?"
"The other . . ." Misako's eyes refocused. "Well, the thing is, the source of your powers is-"
"The thing inside Lloyd. Yeah." Kai nodded. "We figured out that much."
"Well . . . Once you destroy it. . ." Misako paused.
Kai could guess what Misako's next words would be. His hands tightened into fists. The blueprint crumpled under his grip. "Ninjago is saved and we all live happy lives forever?"
Misako gave Kai a sad smile. "Of course. But. . . you won't be able to use your powers any longer."