26: Kailor?

'Oh you have got to be kidding me!' Kai muttered under his breath. He didn't like being bossed around, especially by someone that had just managed to deck him and belittle him… in front of someone he kinda liked too.

'Get in there!' Nat shoved him 'There are people close'

That this person was Hitch's sister was bad enough, but it turned out she could hear thoughts… his thoughts! So, maybe he kinda deserved it… He chuckled.

Hitch looked back at him 'What are you laughing at?' she asked.

He grinned at her; 'she really is very cute, in a fuck off kind of way'. Nat jabbed him in the ribs with her staff; Kai growled and shoved it away to see Nat scowling at him through half closed eyes.

Hitch looked at Nat, who was eyeballing Kai who in turn was looking at her in a strange way… 'Hmmm…' she took a sharp double take at Kai, who held her gaze. Not really knowing where to look, she blushed and looked away. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, this was great… She was finally attempting an escape of the House of Shadows and she had a stupid smile on her face for the second time in her normally miserable life. So yeah, life was good! She gave a slight glance back to see Kai still looking at her and a glance the other way showed Nat still glaring at Kai. How she would make it out alive, she didn't know; her limbs had turned to willow.

She felt the jab of her sisters staff and it woke her from her thoughts 'Thankfully I can't read your mind, but somehow I don't think I need to' Nat hissed into her ear and then sat down 'We're going to have to stop here for a bit, there's a party coming through'.

Hitch and Kai moved up to the ornate trellis and peered through the winding foliage that grew around it 'Who is it?' Hitch asked. They could see the lanterns swinging slowly as the party approached from the far side of the courtyard. The Grand Masters emissaries walking towards them, the Shadow flag held aloft. Beyond them the boiling figures of black clad ninja barely visible in the dark and following at the rear, the softly lit flag of the visiting house held aloft.

'I've never seen that flag before… but it looks kind of familiar' Kai mused.

'It's a rival house' Nat offered 'they're here for a meeting, one of a long line. Sounds like a lot is expected of this one'

'How the hell is all of this not on our radar?' Kai muttered then fell silent. Suddenly he pulled back from the trellis, unusually still.

'Kai?' Hitch asked, confused.

Nat grabbed hold of Hitches wrist and pulled her back from Kai. She tried to release herself but Nat held Hitch close and raised a quieting hand.

Kai was drawn back to the trellis. He moved along trying to get a better view. 'What did I see? No, no, no! Please no…' He repeated to himself as he scrabbled to gain a better view.

Hitch looked at her sister, who's calm voice narrated Kai's confusion 'he knows what he's seen, but he doesn't believe it; a flash of Gold, the flutter of Amber and a slash of red; the colours of heat and fire and lust that churn within him'.

'What areyou talking about?' Hitch asked her sister in confusion

'His someoneis here'

'What?' Hitch turned to look at Kai; his fingers gripped tight around the trellis, his eyes bored through a parting in the entourage. Hitch caught a glimpse of what he saw. Like a ray of sunshine through the swathes of black, the lanterns shone their ethereal glow. The woman stunned her. Immaculate, beautiful and powerful. This was his someone? Her buoyant mood evaporated as she felt suddenly small and pathetic and very, very grey. She looked back to see a black aura judder around Kai, his whole body expanded with fury. 'Kai, no!' Hitch whispered as a molten explosion ripped from him and out into the courtyard.

The manifestation of Kai's fury flashed in the night, arcing out from his pounding chest, the flames rolled and boiled upwards, the sparks floating into the dark heavens. From the shadows bordering the settlement, four ninja watched the spectacle and knew their friend was in trouble.

'Guy's, guys, come in?'

'Jay, it's Cole. Over'

'Are you seeing this? Over'

'Difficult not to. Over'

'Whadawe do now? New plan? Over?'

'Zane? Over?'

'I believe all eyes will be diverted. It will be a little safer to approach in haste. We have a fairly accurate location on Kai. He may have moved already, but if we wait any longer we could loose the opportunity to intervene completely. Over'

'Well, while you were yabbing, I'm already there. Over' Nya growled

'FSM, Nya, you're supposed to wait for orders if things change! Over' Cole complained.

'Phttt, yeah like that's ever gonna happen. Over' Jay shot in.

….

'Nya? Over'

'Nyyyyyaaaa… Over'

….

'Oh crap… Guys, we gotta get in there NOW! Over!' Jay started running. 'Dammit Nya, you better be on radio silence'. Jay was on the far northern boundary and scaled the wall easily; all care over staying hidden forgotten. He flung himself down when a body of guards rounded a corner below him, heading for the scene of the fireball. Taking a steadying breath Jay dropped down to the ground and followed the guards. The rhythmic pad of feet and the friction of armour rustled making a quiet din. Being behind the troops made a certain amount of sense and he jogged lightly a short distance from the tail.

'… Jay… Jay! Where are you? Over'

'Nya!' Jay thought as he whispered 'silence' into the watch and froze. In his haste to get to Nya he had forgotten that simple task. The back guard stopped and turned. Like a cat having wandered onto the wrong turf, Jay stepped back. The guard stared down the dark street and levelled his spear towards him.

'INTRUDER' the guard yelled and began a forward charge. The remaining group stopped and turned.

'Oh crap' Jay muttered.He stood straight, a solitary target for the glinting spearhead. The single charge was joined from behind as multiple weapons slid and took aim. Alert to the synchronized attack beyond, Jay waited, concentrating on the attack from the tail; a single weapon on a single path to a single target. He breathed slow and focussed. For all intents Jay was a sitting duck! The soldier couldn't believe his luck and Jay felt the energy change in the charge, the thought of a sure thing giving the attacker confidence. Jay allowed himself a smile as the razor sharp head came upon him and he stepped calmly out of its way. Jay extended his arm in front of him and brought the guard down as it made contact with his throat and he curled himself behind the attacker. The guard released the spear in shock and Jay neatly took it from his hands. He followed through to release the guard one way and crouched low, arcing the long weapon along the ground to the other. The oncoming troops fell as their feet were whipped away from beneath them. Jay stood and spun the spear, taking out any early risers as he skipped lightly over the mess of bodies and ran before they could untangle themselves, because, to be honest, there was no need to actually fight if you didn't need to and this wasn't the fight he was looking for.

Jay looked at his watch guidance. It showed a mess of walls and alleyways crossing and doubling back. The fireball had been just yards away from his position, but there was no direct route on the ground. He took to the roofs again. He didn't wait to check for rogue ninja and moved as fast as he could. He was there in seconds and slid down low onto the tiles. Edging forward he settled and slowly looked over the edge of the roof. Beneath him a scorched blast zone triangulated out from one side of the square. At the point of release a frenzied mass of guards, ninja and officials, brawling and shouting orders dragged a person forward. Kai! Jay looked around, scanning the square below and the rooftops of the buildings surrounding it. Where was Nya? Did they have her too? He saw a movement, Zane was watching from the adjacent building. He indicated to the opposite corner of the square and the dark shape of Cole moved from one roof to another. Zane held his hand up and made a point to Jay of tapping his watch. He checked it and saw a map of the area with markers showing the position of the team. He saw Zane, Cole and Nya also. He looked up but could not see her. He zoomed into her marker on the map and numbers appeared beside it. Position and height! She was on the ground, moving slowly, but moving. He looked again out into the night towards her position. There was movement. He could just make out, not one person but… three? Three shadows, moving between pillars. 'Who the hell is that?'

Jay's wrist vibrated. He looked at the screen. Message from Zane 'If you are wondering who the hell Nya is with? I don't have a clue' Jay rolled his eyes and his wrist vibrated again 'I would suggest we follow Nya. Jumping into the fray below may prove pointless' Jay looked down again at the boil of bodies in the centre of the square. Kai had been dragged forward and thrown down to the ground. He was surrounded by black clad Ninja and ornately dressed guards. Walking up to him, Skylor. She looked different, stronger… if that were possible. Older even. He couldn't put his finger on it. She was definitely Skylor, but different. She crouched next to Kai, who lent forward on his hands, his head bowed. She grabbed his hair and yanked his head up. She leant down and kissed him passionately, her hands gently caressing his face. As she pulled slowly away, Kai appeared to be drawn along, kept aloft by her presence, until she abruptly turned and he slumped to the floor, released from her hold.

'Shit!' Jay whispered and lunged forward. A hand grabbed him, stopping his impulsive need to get to his friend 'Zane, dude. Did you see that?' he whispered.

'Yes, my friend I did, but striking now would do us no good. There are too many' Zane indicated beyond the throng in the centre of the square, to the dark corners. Other figures had started to drift into the square, keeping back, observing.

Jay saw, but looking again, many were small, barely children. There were so many. 'What the hell are all these kids doing here?' And a chill ran through him. Children like he and his teammates many years before, but very different. He watched them, hesitantly lingering in the far reaches of the square as if their will was already beaten back.

Zane pulled him away 'We must go to Nya. She has summoned us'

Jay checked his watch. There was her marker, flashing intermittently; a call to arms. Cole was now on the roof and beckoning them to get a move on. Jay and Zane slid down to him and moved on. Jay looked back to Kai being dragged further across the square. Why did he do nothing? His body was like a rag doll and was being thrown around like one too. Was it Skylor? Had she used her powers on him? Could she do that and to that extent? It seemed like there was a whole lot they didn't know about her.

'Zane. We can't just leave him like this'

'We must. We must bide our time. An opportunity will present itself and Nya may have already found it. Come'

The three friends descended from the rooftop and wound their way to Nya's marker position. They moved up the alleyway towards the soft glow of a light from a small doorway, a beaded screen swaying in the opening. Zane edged up to the window and slowly moved to look in. He nodded that it was safe and Jay entered. The beads rustled and Jay was pounced on. Nya had thrown her arms around him and he felt the pressure of her against him. He held her there as long as she let him, releasing her only when she relaxed and nuzzled in to kiss him gently. Cole entered and coughed lightly, 'Uh, so you going to introduce us to your new friends?'