CHAPTER TWO- The Problem with Dating the Mysterious Stranger

AFTER

"It's definitely odd I'll grant you that." Nya reached to take the container from Jay's hands. She inspected its contents. She frowned at the words, then fidgeted with the flash drive. "Have you seen what's in it?'

They were in a small park, sitting across from each other on the grass. Jay reached over to take Cole's stuff from her. He felt obsessively attached to the little objects. "No. It's got a password. I was thinking we could go to the dojo. Maybe whoever is there will know what to do with it."

"Then?"

"Then . . . what?"

"What's the endgame in this? What are you going to gain from seeing what's in there? From following this very ominous paper?"

"Didn't you read the paper? They found him. It's time. Okay, so obviously, Cole was caught up in something. Something dangerous, considering he worked pretty hard to hide this thing. If we can follow the trail then-"Jay took a breath. The words had rushed from him, sounds tripping over one another in a desperate attempt to be heard. "Then maybe we can make things right."

"Make things right? Like find his killer type of right?"

"Maybe."

"And if it gets you killed, too? You think Cole would have wanted that?"

Jay was silent. Nya put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm as down for adventure as anyone but . . . I'm just worried about you. This isn't exactly 'moving on', you know? I don't- I'm not the best at emotions but I don't know how healthy this is."

"It's closure. Acceptance." Jay waved his arms, as if the gestures would help get his point across. "You know? The six stages of grief?"

"It's five, Jay."

"Yeah, well, I went through denial twice." Jay huffed. "Please Nya. I think I need this. Let's just go to the dojo. If we don't find anything, I'll drop it."

"And if we do find something? You promise you'll be okay?"

"I promise."

"No electric breakdowns?"

"Not even a spark."

Nya crossed her arms, trying to seem like she was weighing her options. But Jay could see the spark of excitement growing stronger in her eyes. She wanted to pursue this as badly as he did. Jay held the container up, shaking in the sunlight with an encouraging smile. "So . . .?"

"Okay." Nya said. "Let's see what this little dojo has in store for us. Lead the way, Jay."

"Yes ma'am! Will do! Let me just . . . look it up . . . really quickly . . ." Jay fumbled around with his phone. His hands shook as he typed out the address. He'd memorized it, of course. He couldn't get enough of Cole's writing.

With a victorious whoop that was far too loud for a public setting, Jay pointed to the left side of the street. "And now, we're off. On a perilous journey. Which will only last two blocks. A bit anticlimactic, but what are you gonna do, I guess."

They began to walk along the streets of the city. Bright ads were spread throughout, advertising some product or other by OverCorp. Jay turned away, quickly, locking his eyes back onto the safety of his phone's screen.

Not much more than a month ago, Jay had been accepted as an intern at the technologically innovative corporation. He'd had ideas, and they'd had resources. It seemed perfect. All that was left to do, was finish school.

Then Cole had died. And every plan, every dream, had shattered out of Jay's mind. He hadn't been able to finish any of his classes. Watching the world continue to turn had proved to be far too painful.

It didn't help that nearly half the city was owned by OverCorp. Wherever he turned, Jay got a slap full of grim reminders. Hey, remember when you had plans? Remember when the future was exciting? Remember when life was worth living?

"Here we are." Jay's voice came out gruff and unintelligible. He cleared his throat. "Here we are!"

Nya peeked through the display window, pressing her face against the glass. "It's . . . empty. Do you think it's closed?"

"Not according to that." Jay pointed up at a flashing sign beside the door. OPEN. He reached for the door handle, then pushed it open without allowing himself to hesitate

A large, empty hall stood before him. He and Nya walked down it with hesitant steps. They were too loud, and they resembled a rhythmic countdown.

The hall ended in a large, empty room. The display window stood on one end, and on the other, was a small shelf, where too many trophies had been wedged in. Jay supposed this was where the 'martial arts' happened.

"He-Hello? Is- I'm- Anyone here?" The floor creaked beneath Jay's feet. He approached the shelf, glancing over the trophy. They all looked to be either custom made, or for a very, very low place. One of them read World's Best Hairstyle. Jay snickered. Kai would probably love that.

"Great introduction, Jay." Nya smirked, reaching for one of the trophies. "Eleventh- Bug Watching Competition. What the heck? Panda Petting Champion. Wow. Whoever owns this place sounds like an absolute gem."

"You'd be right to think that." Jay and Nya turned to the voice. A man stepped into the room. Everything about him could only be described with one word. Dramatic. His hair was fluffed with exaggerated volume. His smile struggled to be an alluring smolder, but it glided right past attractive and into uncomfortable territory. "I am, without a doubt, a gem."

Jay and Nya both blinked in slow unison. There were simply no words.

"I suppose you are here for a lesson? You're both on the older side, but it's never too late to learn! This, is a safe environment, yeah? You might feel a bit intimidated by me, at first, but really. No need! We all begin somewhere."

"Err-" Nya said.

"We . . ." Jay attempted.

"Yes, yes. I see you are both in desperate need for exercise." The man stepped far too close to Jay. He then shook his head in disappointment. "Wow. You look like you could use a good meal. I'm surprise the wind didn't blow you away, on your way here!

"And you miss. I imagine you're here to add some discipline to your life. It can be hard to commit, but I promise, with all gods of fighting as my witnesses, that I will do my very best to show you the correct path."

"That's not-" Nya tried again, but her words got jumbled with Jay's own protests.

"I'm very willing to help you! But the first step is to admit you need the help. Well, Hmm. I suppose you coming in here counts? Why don't you-"

"We're just here to drop something off!" Jay shouted, words quick. He flashed the container in the man's face. "This. Does it mean anything to you?"

The man stared blankly for a second. Then two. Then three. Just as Jay was about to give up with a sigh, the man's eyes widened. He gave a shrill gasp. His eyes then ran over Jay, widening further with recognition. It was . . . unsettling. Jay was sure he had never seen the man in his life.

"It's- It's you." The man gaped. His head snapped from side to side, as if an enemy might just be crouching behind the dust mites. "Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no. You aren't supposed- Oh man. Oh boy. I'm just! This is definitely out of my league. Garmadon. I need to get Garmadon. Why didn't you go to Garmadon!?"

"Garmadon? I don't know who that is. Should I?"

"You don't- You don't know who Garmadon is? What was Cole even doing with you, then? People do their jobs all wrong because they just know I'll bail them out. But I can't keep-"

"Wait! Cole! You knew Cole? What do you know about him?" Jay was overcome by desperation. He gripped the man's clothes, pulling him closer. The lights above them flickered.

"Of course I know Cole! He-"

The man's words were lost in a sudden, rather, untimely, explosion.

BEFORE

Jay's senses were overwhelmed.

He really should have known better. He had never been good in crowds. Nya had advised him not to go to the concert, much less on his own. But he'd been oh-so-bitter about her hanging out with other people. He wanted to prove he could do things, too.

But he'd been wrong. Oh so, very, very wrong.

The music thrummed through him. It rattled his skull, his ribcage, his teeth. Even from the very back of the venue, everything was too much.

He would have slipped outside, had his legs been able to move. But Jay was rooted to the spot. His quick breaths threatened to take away his consciousness if he so much as shifted.

The lead singer continued to sway the crowd. People on either side of Jay pressed against him as they danced, blissfully unaware of his panicked discomfort. Black dots danced around him. His throat decided to close up. Too hot. Too hot.

Just as he began to tip, a steady grip took hold of him. Jay's first thought was Nya! Maybe she'd ditched her other friends, swooping in to rescue him just in time. But then a voice that was not hers reached his ear, half-shouting to be heard above the crowd.

"Do you need some air?"

Jay couldn't talk, but he surprised himself by managing to nod. The voice had been deep, the sound of it a grumble of comforting warmth. The strong grip led him forward. Jay clung to his savior, trying to re-train his body to breathe and function.

The cool night air was a refreshing kiss against his overheated cheeks. Jay took a long, slow breath. He puffed up his cheeks as he forcefully exhaled.

Slowly, Jay's vision began to clear.

"Better?"

Jay looked up. The guy who'd saved him from his horrible decision stared right back. He had soft grey eyes, filled with concern so genuine, everything inside Jay's body shook. Thick black hair swooped over the guy's forehead, framing his features in an attractive manner. Jay couldn't stop gaping.

" . . . Is that a yes?"

"Huh?" Jay blushed, blinked, turned away. "Yes. Yeah. I'm sorry. I think I'm okay. Sorry."

Jay knew he was overly romantic at best. But this. This! It all somehow felt like fate. He tried to keep his mind in check, but wild daydreams were already flooding his thoughts.

"Sorry for making me miss the concert, or for staring?"

Jay's legs turned into jelly. The panic half-returned to him, accompanied by an old friend, embarrassment. "Ah, Aahh, B-both? I didn't-"

"Relax, I'm just teasing." The stranger chuckled. Jay mimicked the laugh, but his was more nervous than attractively suave. "I'm not exactly a fan of the band. I just had nothing to do, but I didn't want to sit at home feeling bad about my lack of social life."

"Me too!" Jay's eyes lit up. "But, maybe, staying at home would have been the better idea."

"Maybe." The stranger shrugged. "Or maybe, it was fate. A heroic encounter like this had to be written in the stars somewhere."

Jay didn't know what to say. He felt too awkward to play along, but too mesmerized to end the conversation. "M-maybe?"

"Teasing. Again. Sorry, I really am the worst. No wonder I haven't made any friends, huh?" The guy held out his hand. "I'll try to be normal though. My name's Cole. Your average non-cape wearing hero."

"Jay." Jay responded, shaking Cole's hand. "Your average ball of anxiety."

AFTER

All three of them were thrown back, along with large shards of the oversized display window.

"Jay! What happened to no electric breakdowns!?" Nya shouted, her words mingled with a violent cough as debris and dust flowed in and out of their lungs.

"It wasn't me!" Jay shouted, the desperate anger inside him tampered down by the sudden turn of events. HE felt a throbbing ache on his left arm. He refused to inspect it.

"This is way, way above my paygrade!" The man shouted, standing up and dusting off his clothes. "We have to get you out of here, fast kid. And once we do, you're telling Garmadon that I deserve a raise. Or a medal!"

"I'm still really, really confused!" Jay shouted back, allowing Nya to help him stand.

The man made no reply to Jay's words. His eyes were glued to the hole on the wall. He took a step back, mumbling softly about the unfairness of the situation. Jay followed his faze. Fear almost made him drop back to the ground.

To tall, burly shapes stepped into the dojo from the street. They looked muscled and powerful, more than strong enough to snap Jay in half with a flick of their wrist. But that, that was far from the worse part.

"I'm- I'm not hallucinating, am I?" Jay took a step back, clutching his left arm.

"If you are, I am too." Nya replied.

The shapes resembled that of a human, but they were anything but. Each body was filled with thousands of slithering snakes, entwining and unwinding, moving over one another with a single mindset.

"Walk-Er." One of the creatures spat Jay's name. It sounded like thousands of voices hissing all at once. Which, well, it was. "Mi-ne."

"Ah ha, no, Walker is most definitely not yours." Jay turned toward the man. "Please, please tell me there's a back door?"

"Yes! Yeah! Clever, kid! Back exit. No, actually. But there's a window?" The man turned, making an attempt to leave the room. His quick move, however, triggered the creatures into attacking.

They both leaped forward, too fast for anyone's eyes to process. One knocked Nya against the wall, before rushing toward the man to do the same. The other took hold of Jay's shirt, pulling him up, until he was face to face with the snakes that formed its face.

It had no eyes, but there were two black voids the snakes kept from slithering over. Jay had the distinct impression someone was looking at him through the darkness.

"You." The creature said.

"Jay!" Nya's shout was weak. "Now would be a great time for an electric breakdown!"

Jay twisted against the creature's grip, kicking and flailing as the creature began to carry him out onto the street.

The rising panic tipped Jay's mind. The world slowed. Jay watched as the fear created a pulse of energy upon the tips of his fingers. The wisps of electricity grew, wrapping themselves around his arms. A shield. A weapon. Jay's muscles tensed, fighting to control the buildup of energy as it continued. Jay felt as if he were pulling a rubber band taunt, further and further-

Jay let go.

The effect was instant. A bolt of lightning pierced right through the mass of snakes, creating a new opening amongst the slithering animals. The creature held its shape for a second. Then, it fell apart, the snakes dispersing quickly, exiting in a panic.

"Whoa." Jay stared at his hands. He began to laugh, until the air was forcefully removed from his lungs with a firm punch on the back. Jay slammed against the ground, almost skidding out into the sidewalk.

He coughed and turned, facing the remaining creature with newfound confidence. "Okay. That's how you want it? I can play your game."

Jay was dimly aware of the man and of Nya, fearful and dazed, behind the creature. Mostly, his mind pulsed with adrenaline, and with the desire to destroy. He had never caused that much damage before. Well. Not purposely, in any case. It was . . . very, very empowering.

The creature lunged. Once again, the moment Jay allowed electricity to coat him, the world slowed. It was as if his mind shifted into a new velocity, taking in information faster than what should have been possible.

He could see the man, ducking behind the debris. He could see Nya's muscles tense, one by one, as she pushed herself further back. He was aware of each and every snake in the creature's body.

Without bothering to plan, Jay let the energy loose again. This time, instead of a bolt, the attack was wild, almost resembling a poorly crafted web of electricity. It tore the snakes from one another. It burst every lightbulb. It cracked and shattered whichever glass had survived the initial explosion.

The snakes rushed away in a panic as they fell, climbing over one another in a desperate attempt to get as far from Jay as possible.

Jay flexed his fingers. With a jolt, he realized the pain in his arm had completely disappeared. In fact, despite having been punched and tossed and roughened, he felt better than ever. New. Strong.

Nya stood slowly, massaging her stomach. There was a cut across her cheek, from the burst glass. Jay's feelings of joy instantly turned into waves of guilt. "Nya! Are-"

"I'm fine. But you need to learn to be careful. But also that was amazing." The frown on her face relaxed. "I told you. Superhero in the making."

Jay shook his head. "No, that was- I could've- . . . You!"

The man, who had slowly begun to inch out of the room, came to a stop. "Me . . .?"

"Yeah, you. I had questions before, but now I definitely have questions." Jay said. "Who are you? Who's Garmadon? What does this have to do with Cole? With me? And those things? What the heck was that?"

"Those . . . are a lot of questions." The man shifted uncomfortably under Jay's gaze. His eyes kept flickering to Jay's hands, making sure they were not full of tamed lightning. "I will . . . answer. Definitely. Um. Well, I'm Dareth. Very nice to meet you?"

"Okay, Dareth. Who's Garmadon?"

"Well. You could say he's my boss. Leader? Teacher . . .? There's a lot of words. "Dareth shrugged. "I, myself, would call him my friend, but technically one could settle for boss."

Jay and Nya shared a glance. Nya then shrugged. Jay turned back to Dareth. "What's any of this got to do with Cole, then? With me?"

"Well . . . Cole worked with me. And you, well, everything's got to do with you. I've got no idea about those snake things though. Those are new." Dareth said. "And that's it, yeah? All the questions answered. And I really, really wish we could keep talking and all but-"

"He worked with you?" Jay stepped closer, making Dareth flinch. "Doing what?"

"Ahh. Um. He . . . I . . . I guess the easiest way to say it is, well . . . "Dareth ran his hand over his hair. "Cole was a secret agent."

Nya snickered. Jay wanted to do the same. The concept felt so outlandish. But then, Dareth continued. A wave of goosebumps coated Jay at the new words, leaving him feeling very, very sick.

"His job was to protect you."