Chapter Five: Stolen Paintings and Snowmobiles

Lloyd paced across the elite motel suite, waiting for Nya to return from her latest mission. Well, the first part of her latest mission. Getting herself noticed by one of the Darkley's leaders so as to get an invitation of the year to Krux's Auction of Stolen Goods. This time around, it was certain paintings done by a now deceased artist. She was retrieving the last one as they waited patiently in the motel room. Well, they were supposed to be waiting patiently. Lloyd was highly concerned over the fact that it was two hours past the time that she and Kai were supposed to get back.

Zane slipped into the hotel room, a frown crossing his features as he looked over at him. "They haven't returned yet?"

Lloyd shook his head no, while Cole crossed his arms. "Nope." He popped the p, his own head furiously shaking in response. "Taking it that Echo is with Dr. Julian for the school year?"

Zane nodded his in confirmation, as he sat down next to a very nervous Jay. "Yes. Weren't Kai and Nya supposed to be back two hours ago?"

"Ye..." "That was before I realized that I had a tail and had to leave sis behind to go lose it." Kai came barging into the room, his usual scowl a lot deeper than usual.

Nya came in from behind him, highly annoyed. "You could have at least sent me a text warning me that you had one and were leaving without me." She turned to face the others. "I had to call him to figure out where he was at!"

Lloyd snorted, before crossing his arms, this time out of smug confidence. "Now we just need to wait for one of his henchmen to show up." No sooner had the words left his mouth that someone knocked at the door.

"Sweet! That must be the sandwich that I ordered!" Cole jumped up, casually walking over to the door.

"Dirtclod! No!" The friends started to hurry over to stop him, but upon noticing that his hands were on the doorknob already, dove out of sight.

Cole opened the door to find a young man with a look of pure disdain on his face standing on the other end of the door. "I was told that there was someone known as the Duchess staying here."

"Uh... I'm the Duke. Finest... thief!... this side of...um... Ninjago!" Cole puffed up his chest in pride, unaware that Lloyd slapped his forehead upon hearing him splutter that sentence out.

"I see... is this the painting of the Lady in Blue?" He peered curiously at the painting that Nya had somehow sat down on the coffee table without anyone knowing.

"Of course...she is wearing a very...blue outfit?...after all!" Cole leaned against a chair, reaching down behind it to clap his hand over Jay's mouth to keep him from yelling at him about how that was his ancestor and some random facts about the lady in the painting.

"Yes she is... I'll just take this off of your hands now..." The henchman reached for the famous painting.

"No!" Cole stepped forward, his grasp curling tightly around his wrist. "I want to make the sell to your boss in person. I mean really, protocol indicates that it is highly irregular for a successful business man to operate through a mere servant when making a business deal with a new client. It must be done in person." All uncertainty had left his voice, making it firm and in charge.

The henchman took a step back, pulling out a small cell phone. Pushing a button on it, he placed it by his ear. "Ah sir. I have come across the Painting of the Lady in Blue. However it is in the possession of a teen that calls himself the Duke. He says he'll only sell it to you if he can meet you in person." Silence stretched out as everyone waited for baited breath for the extremely critical response from Krux. "Of course. I'll let him know sir." He hang up the phone and turned to face Cole again. "A ride will come to pick you up at three o'clock sharp. Krux will have you for dinner."

"Wonderful. Please let me so you on your way out..." Cole gestured to the door.

The second that the henchman was out, the friends scrambled out of hiding, Jay snagging a pillow and slamming it into his best friend. "What was that about?! Are you out of your mind?!"

"No... I'm sorry greenie. I just messed everything up..." Cole hung his head in defeat.

Lloyd rubbed his chin, a thoughtful expression on his face. "No no. I don't think you've messed anything up so far. In fact, you probably just helped us out."

"How did I help you out?" Cole gave him a weird look.

Nya nodded slowly, understanding dawning on her features. "The fact that as the daughter of a poor Blacksmith, I will need a crash course on high society etiquette. However, as the son of a famous singer...you were raised in high society and already know everything. You'll make for a great distraction."

"Then if it is a distraction that you need...its a distraction that you get!" Cole puffed out his chest, excitement dancing in his eyes.

…..…..

Cole wondered what his luck was that within seconds of Lloyd hissing through the earpiece that Cole was wearing that he needed extra time, that Dareth would show up making a big deal of Lloyd Ninja being here of all places. I guess luck really is on our side. Now then...if only he'll back away from me long enough for me to escape! As if to answer his silent pleas, a snow mobile shot past with a hunched over figure wearing a familiar green hat and coat.

"Lloyd Ninja!" Dareth tore out of the room, leaving Krux and his guests and one spy sitting alone.

Krux stood up his face pinched tightly in a frown. "I am sorry. The auction is canceled. Everyone please leave. I am sorry for this inconvenience."

Ten minutes later, Krux frowned as he tried to figure out what was wrong. "Something is amiss here..."

"Um sir? The Duke wasn't with the rest of the guests when they left?" One of his henchmen shifted uneasily behind him.

Narrowing his eyes, Krux spun around. "I need to check on the safe..."

…..

Dareth shivered, wondering vaguely where that blizzard came from. Pixal shook her head, crossing her arms as she peered over at him. "Sir...there is no blizzard. Honestly. You mistook a tourist on a snowmobile for Lloyd Ninja and now you are shivering due to a little bit of snow."

"Oh come on! There was a blizzard!"

A/N: Done! And cause we had an interesting goof in the middle of our typing...we have a little bonus here!

SkyTalon Ella

~With Zane and Jay as they wait for the signal to distract everyone~

"Ok so when the signal is given, you use this um...forgot what it is called... the speed skier thing... to zoom past the dining hall window." Jay gestured wildly to the bright red vechile that Zane was sitting on.

Zane shot his left eyebrow upwards, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Don't you mean snowmobile?"

"Yeah that!"