Chapter 15

Three days later, Zane was in Garmadon's office, going over their notes and research on Kai's progress since he'd been rescued. Kai, Lloyd, and Harumi were at their respective schools and Misako was relaxing at home, finally getting some downtime now there were no children in the house for the day. As they looked over their research, the two doctors didn't look happy.

"So he has stayed at this level, he's no longer developing." Zane sighed in frustration. "He has a certain vocabulary but it does not correspond to the vocabulary of a normal preschool child just entering kindergarten, he can't construct a grammatically correct sentence, and even with the words he has learned his language is strongly limited."

"Even when he's being grammatical it's not on purpose." Garmadon sighed.

"Yes, but for some reason, when he doesn't rely on the verbal language he communicates very well with people; he always finds a way to make himself understood, no matter what." Zane frowned, trying to think of a solution as Garmadon hummed in thought.

"He's also good with his hands, perhaps we can combine the two."...

Early the next morning Garmadon, Zane, and Jay came up with an amazing plan for Kai. Jay was going to teach the brunette how to communicate through the use of sign language. They were all in the backyard at Garmadon's house where Kai was sat next to Jay as the ginger-haired man showed him what to do while Garmadon filmed the entire thing. Zane stood off to the side of them, watching with a faint smile. He seemed to be smiling a lot these days, but neither he nor Jay understood why.

"Very good Kai, you're a fast learner." Jay smiled when Kai successfully copied a sentence with the techniques he had taught him. "Now why don't you say something to Zane?" He suggested and the teen turned around to Zane and thought for a moment.

"Kai loves Zane." He signed to his friend with an innocent smile and the younger doctor chuckled. The teen's grammar still wasn't perfect but it was much clearer and hopefully, with practice, he would improve and be signing proper sentences.

"Zane loves Kai too." He signed back...

Later that day, after Zane and Jay had gone to their own home, Misako was getting dinner ready for her family. Garmadon was in his office, going over the work he and the others had done while Kai was playing with his favorite rubber ducky and some of his other bath toys in the bathroom. Everyone was pleased with his new progress, but it made new challenges since only Misako really knew any sign language. Garmadon knew a little bit, but not enough.

Harumi was in her bedroom, gossiping with her friends on her cellphone.

Lloyd was sat on the front porch, reading a book for his history class. It was getting late and he was about to go inside when he noticed a car pulling up their driveway. His eyes widened when he saw the two people from the institute get out and walk up to the house.

"Mom! Dad!"...

That night Zane was fast asleep in his bed. Jay was out clubbing with a few of his old college friends. Zane was trying to sleep, but his slumber was anything but peaceful. He had sweat on his brow as he tossed and turned in his sleep. A pained scowl etched on his face as he tossed and turned. In his troubling dream, a thirteen-year-old Zane Julien sighed as he watched TV with his little brother, Echo. Their father was rushing around the house, looking for their mother's secret stash.

Once he was certain he had it all he quickly ran into the kitchen to pour all the booze down the kitchen sink.

All of a sudden the front door burst open and their mother stumbled inside, drunk as a skunk. When she saw what her husband was doing, she marched into the kitchen and started beating him. Unable to listen to his cries of pain, Echo covered his ears with his hands and clenched his eyes shut tight. Zane glared as he stood up and ran to his father's aid. However, his mother saw him coming and easily batted him away like he was an annoying wasp at a picnic.

Zane slumped down to the kitchen floor.

His head hit the corner of the counter with a sickening thud. His world was violently spinning as he struggled to stay conscious. Everything was blurred, yet his father's cries of pain and fear were clear as day. Zane somehow managed to lift his head and turned his parents. His heart almost stopped. It was no longer his father that his mother was beating to a bloody mess. It was a pale, dead-looking Kai. Zane released a strangled gasp as he shot up from his bed as fast as lightning.

He was breathing heavily in panic and his body was drenched in sweat.

It was dark in the bedroom and all he could hear was a constant ringing in his ears. After a few moments, he started to calm back down again, but he could still hear the ringing sound. He gasped when he realized that it was the house phone that was ringing. He quickly jumped out of the bed and grabbed the phone before it went to voicemail. He looked and was confused when he saw that it was Garmadon who was calling him.

"Hello?"...

Jay growled in frustration as he unlocked the front door to his and Zane's house and stormed inside. He was coming home early from her night out due to the fact some freak in the club decided to get a feel of one of his friends. When she told him to get lost the creep wouldn't take the hint. Jay defended her, only for the manager to throw him out instead.

When Jay stepped inside and saw that the entire house was almost completely pitch black.

He groaned and roll of his eyes. He knew Zane liked to save power but this was too much. He turned on the lights and was scared half to death when he saw Zane sat in the chair in front of him, all alone.

"Zane! Don't you ever do that again!" He exclaimed angrily, but his glare faulted when he saw him glaring at the floor with a brandy in his hand, completely ignoring Jay. "Zane? What's wrong?" He asked as he knelt down next to him.

"They have dropped the research grant." He snarled in rage. "The Mental Care Board has dropped the project; I kept telling Garmadon to organize his research better but he wouldn't listen!"

"What about Kai?"

"The Garmadon family have already arranged new living arrangements." Zane scoffed bitterly. "They're moving him tomorrow."

"Moving him where?"...

"I fixed up your old room for you." Maya smiled nervously as she let Garmadon and Kai back into her house. It was the same house that she once shared with her late husband Ray and their daughter Nya. It was also the same house where Kai had been so terribly abused. "Would you like to see it?" She asked and Kai looked up to Garmadon for permission. The doctor smiled sadly and nodded. Kai turned back to his mother and followed down the halls of his old home.

Once they were out of his sight Garmadon put down Kai's suitcase and left the house before they returned.

It would be easier for everyone if he just disappeared. When Maya opened his bedroom door, Kai froze when he saw what had happened to the room. It was completely different. Instead of the cold, hard, grey floor and walls, blacked-out windows, crib with the chicken wire on top, and the potty chair with restraints, he saw young child's paradise. Maya stood by the door, nervously watching him. The walls were painted a light red color, with windows shined with sunlight as white curtains fluttered in the wind.

There was a red racing car bed in the corner, toys everywhere, and under his feet was a soft, black carpet.

She noticed Kai and walked over to the bed and was caressing the plastic wrapping on the brand new mattress.

"Do you like it, baby?" She asked with a warm, mothering smile. "They just delivered it this morning, I didn't have enough time to unwrap it before you got here, but we can fix that later." She promised when all of a sudden there was the sound of a car starting. Kai quickly dashed out the room, passed his mother, and out the front door. He froze when he saw Garmadon's car pulling away from the Smith house and drive off without a second thought.

Kai could only watch with teary eyes as the car turned the corner and out of his life.

"Has he already gone?" Maya glared before walking over and pulling her son into a comforting hug. "I'm going to cook something for lunch, do want to help me, honey?" She asked, but Kai just kept staring down the road as silent tears fell down his cheeks...