Pixal had come up with a solid plan to find Chen. From what Cole could gather, Neuro had a wide range on his mind-reading powers, so he could search out other beings and locate their psychic energy from afar. If they were lucky, Chen would be close, and Neuro could locate him right away. Even if it wasn't that easy, they would still be able to search the entire island in a matter of hours. By Pixal's calculations, they would most definitely find Chen by the end of the day.

Cole had already sent Neuro and the rest of the ninja to regroup with Jay in the jungle. Cole had stayed to leave instructions with the rest of the masters first.

"Don't worry about us," Griffon was reassuring him. He held one of the Anacondrai spears they had nabbed from the cultists, who were now bound tight as their prisoners. "These goons aren't going anywhere, not on my watch!"

"Stay sharp," Cole warned him. "If we're not back by sundown, I'll send someone with news."

"You just focus on finding Chen. I've got a bone to pick with that guy."

Don't we all, Cole thought. Perhaps leaving Chen to the Elemental Masters would be the best punishment. Still, Cole would like to dish out his own personal vengeance.

As he headed into the jungle, he mentally sifted through the list of all the tasks which had yet to be accomplished, and an unfamiliar bout of anxiety stirred inside him. There was still no word from Master Wu. He had all but disappeared in the midst of the tournament, leaving no message to tell his students where he was or how he was or what he even wanted them to do.

There was a niggling worry in the back of Cole's mind that somehow Chen had done something to him. But Cole doubted that was possible. Master Wu was practically untouchable from his place in the Dark Realm. Cole tried to convince himself that their master had merely left that shadowy place at last and was on his way to help them. Unless he had simply become so disappointed in their continuous failure that he had abandoned them.

Cole shook his head. Master Wu would never do that. He may have been a stern master, but he wouldn't abandon his students so easily.

Something crashing through the brush behind him finally broke Cole from his thoughts. He spun around, whipping out his scythe, thinking that someone was following him.

Blue eyes emerged from the bushes and blinked at him with equal surprise. Fuchsia hair, pale blue gi – not an enemy. Not at the moment.

"It's you." Cole relaxed and replaced the scythe on his back. Seliel rolled her eyes, then vanished.

Kapow! She reappeared behind him and walked on through the brush. "Is that what you call a truce?" she asked dryly.

"I thought you were one of Chen's goons," he confessed as he put away the weapon and followed her. "There could still be some strays wandering around here."

"Hmph."

She said nothing more as they continued on, her eyes fixed ahead. Despite their alliance, Cole felt strange not fighting her. Busting out of Chen's underground prison had almost made him forget their rivalry. Pixal had been nothing but polite to him and Zane, and the two teams had worked successfully alongside each other and the other Elemental Masters to build the Roto Jet. But here, when they were back in their full ninja garb in broad daylight, it was hard not to remember the history of animosity that lay between them.

Cole winced to himself as he remembered the brutal beating he had given her when they first met.

"You know," she said, surprising him out of his thoughts again. "If you thought I was sneaking up on you, you were way too slow. You would be dead by now."

"Of course I hesitated. And you're lucky I did," Cole replied, leaving out the fact that he had taken way too long to realized he was being followed in the first place. "But if I had decided to break the truce, you would be dead by now."

Seliel half turned to look at him over the shoulder. "Is that supposed to be a threat?"

"No. But I'm a little surprised you weren't expecting it."

He caught sight of her smirk. "Yeah, well I thought it was pretty obvious that you weren't expecting me. Let's just be grateful that we're both too smart to act on assumptions."

"Alright. So maybe you caught me off guard this time. I have to admit, you and your friends are a surprisingly lethal force. For a bunch of girls."

Seliel shot him a harsh look, but it faded as soon as she saw his expression. "You're not so bad yourself," she said evenly. "For a boy."

Cole chuckled to himself. "Whoever said we couldn't get along?"

"We're allies," Seliel reminded him. "We're not friends."

"Yeah. I guess you're right . . . Sure would solve a lot of problems, though."

"I don't think that would work out, what with our sensei being rivals and all."

"I was just thinking out loud. You got a problem with wishful thinking?"

"No. I just don't like you."

Cole laughed again in spite of himself. She was cold, but she was fun to talk to. And though she said that she didn't like their partnership, he could swear that some of her hostility had melted since the factory. Perhaps this stubborn teleporter could be reasoned with after all.

"Good, we're all here," Garmadon said.

Nya glanced up from where she sat in the jet, prepping it before they left. Karlof had gone back to help the other Elemental Masters now that a few of the vehicles were functional. Seliel and Cole were just stepping into the clearing where everyone was gathered. Now they could get out there and finally rescue Skylor and put their team back together.

"I've already reached out as far as I can from here," Neuro reported as Nya climbed out of the jet and jogged over to stand beside Pixal. "There's no sign of them. We'll have to begin our sweep over the rest of the island."

"How are we with transportation?" Seliel asked.

"I think we're set for this mission at least," Nya answered. "We've got two buggies and a rover, a copter, and the Roto Jet. It's not enough for all of us, but it'll transport a pretty good sized group."

"Who all is going on the search party?" asked Cole.

"Us, of course," Seliel said, gesturing to herself and the team.

"Relax, I just thought one of you might want to stay behind."

"Perhaps we should," said Pixal. "I assume that both parties would want to leave at least one member here at all times to keep an eye on things."

"I could always search their minds for ill intent," Neuro suggested.

Jay rolled his eyes. "Come on, what's the point of a truce if we're not gonna trust each other?"

"We have nothing to hide," Zane said. "I see no reason why one of them shouldn't stay if it makes them feel more comfortable."

But Garmadon was shaking his head. "We won't be able to stop Chen unless we can truly learn to work together. Victory is found in recognizing the greatest threat first, and trust is essential to any relationship. The boys will be capable enough on their own."

But will four of us be enough?" Seliel asked. "We have plenty of vehicles, maybe we should have brought a couple more Elemental Masters."

Kai stepped forward. "I'll go, too."

Seliel narrowed her eyes. "You?"

"I just want to help," he said vaguely, matching her gaze.

Nya would have to say that she felt the same as Seliel, but perhaps for different reasons. Every time her brother was around, Nya felt uncomfortable tension. There was still so much unresolved between them.

Seliel looked to Garmadon. "He's probably just hoping to get a hold of Chen before we do."

"And so what if he does?" Jay said. "We're not the only ones who want a go at him."

"Trust, Seliel," Garmadon said patiently. "We'll need all the help we can get. That is, if it's alright with you," he said, addressing Cole.

Cole gave a curt nod. "Zane, you go, too. Will that be enough?"

"I think it's all we can carry," Nya said.

Garmadon began doling out vehicles. "Seliel and I will take the Roto Jet. Nya and Neuro can go in the copter, Pixal and Zane in the buggies. Kai, you take the rover. Let's get a move on!"

Nya took a seat in the copter. She was grateful now that Jay and Karlof's help had given her enough time to look over the controls thoroughly. Seliel started the jet and lifted it into the air, taking the lead. Just before she took off, she raised a shout of "Ninja—"

And was answered with cries of "GO!"

Nya set the copter's blades spinning and followed her lead, setting off deep into the bowels of the jungle.