Jay swam off in the direction of the flashing red buoy, leaving Nya in his wake. She smirked as she saw him swimming of trying to get a head start.
She swam quickly and used her element to propel herself through the water catching up with Jay in an instant, he saw her swimming next to him so quickened his pace further, Jay was so competitive.
"Jay you never told me you were a good swimmer, this is impressive" Nya said hardly out of breath.
"Hehe well...I...used to...have...swimming lessons...when I was...younger." he replied between breaths, "Whew can we stop for a bit...I'm aching."
"You'll lose Jay, come on only a few more meters then we can go and get some food."
"Damn...you're a taskmaster...aren't ya?" Jay smirked taking in a mouth full of salt water instead of air, which he immediately regretted as he started hacking violently, his hands clutching his chest..."I'm fine Nya...gahh I hate sea water." he wheezed and continued the last ten meters grasping hold of the metal buoy as he attempted to breath.
"Race you back to the shore line….first one there gets the best cut of meat, unless Cole and Kai get there first…" Nya smirked and splashed him playfully.
"Sheesh, Nya I can't yet...let me get my breath...back...you go I'll catch up." Jay said panting his face mixed into that of shock and disappointment when he saw Nya swim off.
"Ok, but if you're too slow you'll miss the best steaks hehe." Nya laughed and swam off leaving Jay clinging onto the metal buoy which was eerily ringing and reminding Jay of a certain shark movie.
"Yeah I'll be fine here don't worry about me..." Jay said swimming a few meters out and back towards the shore.
"Argh damn it cramp and stitch." Jay rubbed his thigh madly but it was no good he needed heat not cold. He floated in the water for a few more seconds, his muscle was completely locked up now, spasms travelling up his legs the longer he stayed treading water.
"Maybe I'll just float for a bit, paddle backwards hehe no rocks around so I'm not likely to injure myself" he said to himself and filled his lungs up with as much air as he could, using his arms and hands to even out his body from his vertical position to a horizontal one, allowing him to relax on the surface.
"Now all's I gotta do is float...I mean how hard could that be right" Jay said as he paddled his hands gently in the direction of the beach towards his brothers voices "hahaha easy as pie see I'm a pro at this...oww damn cramp pains."
Jay looked to his side he was between two rather looking odd buoys which looked vastly different to the one that Cole had swam out to earlier one of them was banking heavily on its side, the bell droning on, making Jay shudder in fear as if a shark was tugging at it.
He stopped floating and submerged his body back in the water keeping his head afloat, taking another look at the buoy in confusion. "how odd, could have sworn I swam past those already."
"Hey Zane, ooh good steaks, that one please.." Nya stated, "Jay will probably want that one...when he gets out of the water." she said absentmindedly as she walked away with her plate of food sitting down by her ninja team who were all looking at her in confusion.
"Err Nya, where's Jay?" Lloyd asked looking around to see further down the darkened beach front.
"He's still in the water."
"How far out is he? he can't swim far ya know." Cole said as he put a large piece of rare steak in his mouth.
"He's on the red buoy, we swam out there together, he's actually quite a strong swimmer."
"You left him there?" Cole's face was showing shock, "which buoy Nya?"
"The red light buoy why?" Nya questioned with some concern "why?".
"Because that second buoy identifies a riptide, well a dangerous area."
"Cole maybe I should go, I'm a strong swimmer I can bring him back in." Zane countered "besides you shouldn't really swim on a full stomach."
"Err Jay did." Lloyd mumbled with a mouthful of food before stopping and looking panic stricken at the ocean.
"Oh shit, Zane go get him quick." Cole spat, a piece of food flying out of his mouth, his plate falling to the floor as he stood pointing to the black still looking ocean.
Zane ran off towards the shore line calculating roughly where Jay could be, scanning the water for any signs of life, relief when he sensed someone only fifty metres out. The life he sensed wasn't in any apparent danger, but he was suffering from cramp which Zane thought would be due eating so much before swimming.
He waded into the water, he noted the temperature had dropped significantly, since the sun was no longer heating it, meaning the longer Jay stayed in it the more risk of Hypothermia he would have. He was up to his shoulders before he started swimming, looked behind him seeing Cole and Lloyd standing by with towels for when they got out. Zane searched around utilising his bright eyes as flashlights, he saw Jay paddling madly, cramp had obviously taken hold.
Zane didn't notice the warning buoy banking steeply until he was next to it at which point it was too late. He was being pulled out to sea, Jay saw him and grabbed onto his nindroid brother as tightly as he could with his free hand, an intense feeling in his chest as he held firmly onto the buoy.
"It's no good it's a rip tide, we can't swim back...I've already tried." Jay hissed out of breath, wincing every so often.
"Hmm well the only logical conclusion would be to ride it out until the rip tide ends...it won't be too far out...just beyond the breaking waves so approximately another three hundred feet or so."
"But that could take us out into...err...uhm...well...uhm open water...there's big scary creatures in the open water Zane, ya know sharks and stuff."
"Are you scared of sharks Jay, I didn't know you had phobias?"
"N-no...well, maybe." Jay winced and shook his head, holding tightly onto the metal buoy shivers wracking his tired body "Yes...I guess I am or I do." he chuckled despite himself.
"Hmm, ok, well they are attracted by splashing around, so they say."
"Whose they? people in shark cages or the seals, surfers...oh god..." Jay started to panic, he didn't want to swim out in to open water, the thought terrified him. Zane had to snap him out of his thoughts.
"Jay we have no choice, do you think you can make it out and back again...it might help to warm you up at least." Zane reasoned, he was concerned Jay's core temperature was constantly dropping.
"Zane, I was warm up until a few seconds ago when you mentioned swimming out there..."
"I've got mad cramp and now this too." he said lifting his chest up a little out of the water, showing an angry purple mark directly under his scar.
"Does it hurt Jay...I can't support you for long once we're in open water."
"No well it did when I stretched, but now it just feels warm and..." Jay didn't want to admit it felt heavy too, he knew what that meant.
"Look fine let's just get this over with...otherwise I'll change my mind and stay on this buoy all night if I have to."
"Hold onto me Jay, I'll try to steady you, don't be scared and try to remain calm." Zane spoke calmly to Jay, he prised his own hand off the buoy with a pained expression, his eyes widening in panic as he felt the current pulling him away. Panic setting in rapidly, he began fighting against the surging pull of the strong current, his body refusing to let go of his only hope, despite his pain increasing tenfold.
Zane dived underneath him, pulling him rapidly underwater in an attempt to stop the panic altering his mind. It might not have been the best idea as Jay kicked back as his quest for survival kicked in, kicking Zane in the face and launching his nindroid brother further out into the current. He tried and struggled in vain to get back to Jay but he just wasn't fast enough no matter how fast he propelled his legs, the tide pulling him back.
"Jay...JAY YOU NEED TO SWIM TOWARDS ME...you're going to wear yourself out if you don't stop."
Jay could hear a voice trying to break through his clouded vision "Z-Zane...I-I cant do this...I-I'm scared."
"Trust me Jay...swim to me...nothing will happen."
"Ha y-yeah r-right Z-Zane...s-so cold...I can't b-believe I'm d-doing this" he shivered turning around with his eyes closed, the completely unnatural feeling of being pulled out to sea was terrifying alone to a strong swimmer, which Jay liked to think he was. Now he wasn't so sure, he opened his eyes again and used his stiffened legs to swim to Zane who was twenty feet ahead and still moving.
"S-so tired Zane...and c-cold...someone needs to i-invent a warm v-vest that keeps you w-warm when its c-c-cold."
"Come on Jay...keep swimming to me, I can't swim to you, the current is too strong."
"I don't l-like it Zane, the water i-is so c-cold and d-dark." the feeling of something slithering under his feet made his eyes roll back in terror. "S-something just touched m-my legs...Z-Zane."
Zane scanned the water for other life forms, seemingly impressed that his systems were still fully functioning and extremely water tight, he decided not to mention what he had just seen on his scan for fear of Jay drowning, he seemed to be keeping it together quite well despite their situation and the addition of ocean dwelling mammals thrown in for good measure.
I-I can't do this Zane...I err need to go back to the err the shore...Argh ouch..fuck, fuck, fuck...w-what the hell was th-that." Jay winced in pain, his ankle was throbbing.
"I swear to the first spinjitsu master that whatever just bit me is gonna end up as my dinner, it doesn't work the other way round douchebag." he shouted into the dark ominous water.
He swam like his life depended on it, swimming through the pain of worsening cramp to get to Zane who was now much closer thanks to his fast swimming strokes.
He turned onto his back performing a back crawl and saw to his utter horror a fin following him..."SHIT...WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ZANE...is it a dolphin?"
"Maybe..."Zane replied calmly. "They say that dolphins will attempt to protect against sharks, they are incredibly intelligent mammals Jay."
"R-really is that so...anything else, like can you differentiate just by the dorsal fin?" Jay chuckled nervously as he quickly approached Zane he seemed to be floating perfectly on his back.
"Jay just swim to me as fast as you can...please, focus on me." Zane pleaded with Jay, he inflated his artificial lungs as much as he could, so he was mostly floating.
"Whoa Zane impressive, didn't know titanium could float, you got watertight sections in there too huh? Ya know like the Titanic" he asked and haphazardly attempted to climb onto Zane toppling over the other side right into the oncoming dorsal fin.
"Fuck…..shark." Jay swam backwards in a panic but Zane grabbed him and hauled him quickly onto the top of his own metal body, keeping them both afloat.
The shark was still circling, following the trail of blood, and it mistakenly tried to bite Zane, but recoiled as its sensitive snout made contact with solid metal. The nindroid cringed, it was apparent the bite had just dislodged a water tight plate protecting his pneumatics for his foot, meaning the compartment was steadily filling with sea water.
A hindrance perhaps but one that potentially would cause his foot to seize up soon, the lubricating oil spilled gently around Zane and he frowned at it knowing he would need repairs once back on board the Bounty.
"Thanks Zane...how was the steak, did you save me a piece?" Jay asked as he lay his head on his brothers hard chest.
"I have a feeling it may be 'well done' now besides I am surprised you are still hungry considering how much you ate."
"I just have a really big appetite now..." Jay said yawning bringing his arms up resting them under his face like a pillow, allowing the motion of the waves to lull him to sleep.
"Since when?" Zane asked quietly, moving his toes carefully to make sure that no other compartments were filling.
"Since uhm...well since they took my power, I get so hungry now...if I don't eat I just feel ill and tired."
"Thanks for coming for me Zane…I would have probably stayed out there all night…" Jay yawned again and closed his eyes.
"You don't need to thank me Jay, it was the right thing to do." Zane replied, he smiled hearing his brothers calmed breathing, his now limp body indicating he had fallen asleep.
A few minutes earlier on the beach
"What is taking them so long, Zane should be back by now...maybe I should go in."
"No Cole, you said it yourself, if it's a riptide it'll be too dangerous...I guess Zane must have a plan."
"Yeah and that's what scares me, he's going to go out into open water..."
"Yeah that's not an issue is it?"
"Kind of, Jay is terrified of open water, ever since watching Jaws anyway a few months ago."
"Oh...but what choice does he have?"
"Well knowing Jay, he'll probably want to stay attached to that buoy all night until the coast guard arrives, unless Zane can reason with him."
"Can you see them, the bright red light is distracting me."
"Well that's the point of the light, it's meant as a warning, can't believe Nya didn't notice it, I can see Zane's eyes...just about...god how far out are they?"
"They're almost out into open water...I hope they're okay. Should we contact the coast guard?"
"No but someone needs to tell Misako or Sensei Wu, anything could happen out there." Cole said as he ran off towards the roped anchor of the Destiny's Bounty, climbing it as if his life or Jay's depended on it.
He ran to the control deck, sweat pouring of his face at over exerting himself, he programmed the large system to pinpoint to their current location, focusing on Zane's power source. Cole set the alarm off notifying Misako and Wu of their brothers immediate danger, advising them to hold on to something as he grabbed hold of the large wooden steering wheel steering it where the bright flashing power source was flashing.
Misako rushed into the control room and motioned Cole to look over board to see if he could see anything. He grabbed a large torch and secured it within the rigging so it would cast a bright spot light down onto the black ocean below. Relief when he saw Zane swimming on his back, it looked like the riptide had ended, Jay was face down on Zane's chest, he looked worn out.
Cole's heart was pounding in his chest, he lowered the rope ladder and climbed down quickly, jumping into the brisk cold water to help Zane. Jay looked like a drowned rat, his hair stuck to his face, his body was cold and his extremities were wrinkly like an old mans fingers after being in a bath for too long.
"What happened Zane?"
"He needs warming up quickly, and he needs these stitching up, Zane said pointed to Jay's ankle, "Other than that he's perfectly fine, a little tired perhaps."
"Oh and I believe time is of the essence, this was a shark bite..."
Cole squeaked unintentionally but grabbed Jay firmly and allowed Zane a firm grip before signalling up to Misako to pull them up using the winch.
Once safely aboard Cole looked down to Jay's ankle, seeing a few minor lacerations, one of which had a pearly white tooth sticking out of it indicating the fact it was stuck in a bone, the thought made him shudder but he lifted him regardless and carried him through to the infirmary again.
"Sorry Jay I know you wanted to be out of here but this is just for tonight...okay buddy, you get some rest Jay." Cole replied and yanked the tooth from his ankle, casting it aside into a sterile pot so Misako could dress it.
Cole placed Jay onto the bed and grabbed a handful of warm blankets layering them carefully avoiding the bite marks. He grabbed a towel without much thought as a tray of probably sterile tools was on it which clattered to the floor, making Cole cringe. He used the towel to gently dry him, removing his wet hair from his face and warming him up in the process, his lips were almost blue, but he was still smiling.
"Mmmmm okay Cole...thank you."
Cole smiled sitting back next to Jay, "You did well out there Jay, well impressed when did you find out it was a rip tide?"
"When I swam against it, Zane found that out too."
Jay winced again "It's surprising really how much a nindroid weighs when the weight of metal is pulling you out to sea as well...I think I tore something." Jay replied and stretched out.
"Do you need pain relief for it...Don't want you suffering in silence bro, you've done too much of that recently."
"Can I have a look...where does it hurt Jay?" Cole gently questioned.
"M-my chest."
Cole bit his lip and pulled back the blankets, lifting up Jay's tank top, it was true there was a new injury there, well an old one which looked bad.
The warmed covers were pulled over the blue ninja before he left the infirmary and Cole as the strongest in body and mind went to check on Zane to see if he needed anything, he was fairly sure that Jay would be okay for a few more minutes at least.
"Zane...is everything alright?" He asked staring at his nindroid brother, noting his foot plate seemed to be missing revealing a glimpse of Zane Cole had never seen before.
"The same shark tried to bite me, the foot plate dislodged, it sank unfortunately and that left me with this."
"So what you doing, do you need help." Cole asked sitting next to him.
"I'm cleaning my feet...if you will, with a highly pressurised form of ionised water, which aims to remove any traces of sodium. It is a lengthy process but once that is done I can lubricate the joints so they do not seize up." Zane stopped and put the pressurised water gun down and picking up a highly pressurised air tool.
"So blowing the water away too...?" Cole asked putting his hands over his ears as the loud motor started up.
"Yes, that is correct, my exoskeleton may be titanium but I don't want to risk it with my internal workings...and rust is terrible for metal." he replied with a smile.
"Can you pass me that can of oil?"
Cole passed him the blue tin which had a small thin straw attached for precision aim and watched with intrigue as he proceeded to spray his metal metatarsals, the likes of which he had never seen before. They looked like miniscule pneumatic toes and joints, he was truly a work of art….a masterpiece created by a genius.
"All done...hopefully!" Zane stood and placed his foot down carefully allowing his toes to flatten giving him full balance again.
"How is our patient Cole?" his foot evened the weight dispersal allowing him to stand as if nothing had happened.
"He's resting, I removed the tooth and Misako cleaned him up, I reckon he'll be sleeping like a baby for the next few hours at least if not until tomorrow." Cole joked and pulled Zane out of the inventing room where Jay seemed to have all the best tools and gadgets to hand.
"Come on, you might need to check him anyway, his chest doesn't look too good."
"He mentioned something in the water when he took my weight, he tore an internal stitch so if you like you can assist."
"Uhm s-sure, wouldn't Misako be better suited though?"
"No…not always."
"Come Cole, it will be an educational journey for you."
"Ugh…..I'm not sure about this Zane, I'm not a doctor."
"You can stand and observe, so that means monitoring his breathing and so on." Zane paused picking up the last vial of morphine and loading the syringe with an ample amount for the procedure.
"Can you do that, constant feedback please, pulse, respiration, blood oxygen levels."
"S-sure I can but what exactly are you going to do, I mean I understand we can't go to the hospital anymore as the Serpentine have infiltrated it."
"It is a simple procedure, but he'll likely need antibiotics because off the bite and because of what I'm about to do." Zane stated as he injected the syringe allowing the pain relief to float into his blood stream numbing and sedating him all over.
He switched on the machines, checking the baseline observations before he began, his surgical instruments laid out before him, he only needed a few namely a scalpel, a suture kit and some saline to wash out the wound so he could see clearly.
"Blood pressure is holding at 120 over 80, pulse is uhm 80, breathing at 20 breaths per minute." Cole said and looked away from the clock. He watched as Zane pushed the scalpel down applying a small amount of pressure to the angry red bruise that had formed under Jay's scar.
He recoiled when a large amount of blood spilled from it but quickly passed Zane a sterile cloth to soak it up so he could get at the torn stitch quickly. Zane used the needleless syringe to soak the area thoroughly with saline, seeing the small tear in the process. He grasped the suture kit and asked Cole to read the observations as he began.
"Almost done, just need to make sure that these dissolve….I-I…..WHAT?"
"Zane…?" Cole asked worriedly, he looked away from the clock. "What is it?"
"I-I can't believe they used non dissolvable ones in the hospital…these should be…dissolvable stitches." Zane looked flustered and tirelessly got back to work.
"What? did they stitch his internal wounds up using regular ones?" Cole asked with the same puzzled face.
"YES." Zane replied angrily, Cole having never seen Zane angry before, it shook him a little.
"Non-dissolve able stitches are meant to be removed after two weeks otherwise the wound will never fully heal and the scar will be worse."
"But why did they use those?" Cole asked holding Jay's hand tightly, stroking his hair out of his face.
"I know why, but you won't like it Cole!…." Zane replied cryptically, and began replacing each stitch with the dissolvable counterpart.
"Just spill it Zane, tell me…..fairly sure I can handle it."
"The doctors were not expecting him to survive his injuries and therefore the stitches would have remained intact even after embalming in fact until the burial and long after."
"That's horrific, they gave up on him…..what the f**k Zane."
"Sorry, blood pressure still stable 110 over 80, pulse 90, breaths 10 per minute…..oxygen levels stable." Cole grasped hold of Jay's hand tightly, rubbing it gently trying to warm him up again.
"How much longer Zane, he's feeling cold again?"
"I have almost finished but I digress it took longer than expected as I had to remove the sheer amount of silk ones replacing them with dissolvable ones…"
"Will he be up and around tomorrow then?" Cole asked as Zane closed Jay's wound which appeared larger than ever.
"No he might not wake for a few days and to be fair Cole he needs rest." Zane paused and wiped the blood from Jay's chest admiring his exceptional suturing skills.
"He had plenty of exercise today more than he should have really for his body was not adequately prepared for such strenuous activity. Sensei mentioned it to me, he thought he utilised too much of it…he needs to learn restraint…..a slow and long process."
"Cole go and get freshened up, you smell like the sea….trust me you'll feel much better." The nindroid cleaned the area surrounding Jay and placed a new dressing over his chest before covering him in a multitude of blankets.