Chapter 21

Randy nervously stood with Nomicon and Howard at the Rivera family's front door.

"Are you sure about this?" Howard asked, adjusting his scarf.

"We planned this three days ago. I'm at least ninety five percent sure." Randy replied.

"I'm scared about the other five percent." Nomi said, shoving his hands deeper in his pockets. Randy took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Coming!" Came Charles', or Mr. Rivera, voice. Soon after, he answered the door with and stood before the boys. He didn't look like Randy had remembered him at all. His normally combed brown hair was disheveled and his clothes seemed wrinkled.

"Hello Mr. Rivera. Are you doing…alright?" Randy said awkwardly.

"Oh, I'm doing just fine Randy! Perfectly peachy! Couldn't be better! Life's great!" Charles rambled on and on, putting on a smile that was clearly forced.

"That's…good. May we come in?" "Oh, of course! Of course! You boys must be freezing!" Charles ushered them inside, shutting the door loudly behind them. "Would you like anything? Tea or hot chocolate or something?"

"No, we're good. Thank you for the offer, though." They followed Charles into the living room and took a seat on the large couch.

"So, what can I do for you?" Charles asked, his plastic smile still glued to his features. The trio all looked at each other before Randy spoke up.

"We're here to talk about Lex…"

"Oh, if you're here to hang out with her, I'm afraid to inform you that…she's not here." Charles still smiled, but his voice cracked as he spoke. "You'll have to come another–"

"That's not why we're here."

"Then…what are you here for? I told you she's not here! What more do you want?" Charles' fake smile faltered and his voice became slightly shaky.

"We know what happened to her." That did it. Charles slumped in his chair and put his face in his hands, the group hearing a few weak sobs.

"Y-you know she d-disappeared the day of y-your field trip. At first I thought nothing of it. B-but she didn't show up for a few days a-and I got worried. I want my baby girl back…" It seriously pained them (and the readers!) to see Lex's father in such a fragile state.

"We…we know where she is." Charles raised his head and managed a short chuckle.

"Please don't play games. I know you know she's missing, so please don't–"

"No, Randy is implying that we are aware of the location of Lex." Nomicon interrupted.

"What? But…that can't be possible."

"We know who took her and we have an idea of where she is being held."

"Someone took her?! Who? Where? Why?"

"A giant robot that belongs to McFist." Howard answered. Charles froze before laughing. "I knew it sounded crazy."

"Boys I'm serious. Who took her where?" They stared at Charles until his face fell and he understood that they weren't joking. "Wha–? You can't expect me…? Why and how?"

"You might want to sit back down for that." Charles seemed confused, but obliged nonetheless.

"You know about the Norrisville Ninja, if I'm not mistaken?" Nomicon started.

"Of course."

"And his partner in heroism, Kasumi?"

"Who doesn't nowadays?"

"Well…"

"I'm the Ninja." Randy finished.

"Randy, don't joke around."

"…"

"You're…the Ninja?"

"And Lex is Kasumi. We were fighting the robot that took her when it was terrorizing McFist Industries. It knocked me out and took Lex."

"I…I don't believe this…my little girl? Kasumi? The Ninja's helper? How can this be?"

"To be honest, I don't know. What I do know is that she's probably being held in McFist Industries so McFist can find out who the Ninja is."

"We came here to tell you all of this…and to ask for your help." Nomi added.

"You need my help? I'd assume a ninja could save her!"

"We don't know the layout and security of McFist Industries. We need your help to find Lex and successfully save her."

"What do you say, Mr. Rivera?" Randy asked, praying that Charles would help them.

"I don't even know. I want my daughter home and safe, but…me?"

"Please. What if she got hurt? What if I…we never see her again. She's my…friend. I can't stand not knowing that she's in trouble and I'm not there to save her. Please Mr. Rivera…" Randy clenched his fists and held back tears, Nomi sniffling at the same horrific thoughts as him.

"…" Charles stared at the three boys, seeing how much they cared for their friend and his daughter. "I'll…I'll do it. I want my second little girl back and you want a friend who means the world. We're going to save her." They all smiled at each other as Charles sat back down in front of them. "So, let's get planning! We have a rescue mission that will commence tomorrow at the earliest!"

*Meanwhile!*

"Let me in now! I have the right to enter!"

"Hey! Not just anyone can–"

"I have orders from the Sorcerer!"

"You w-what?"

"Yes, and if you want to keep that freakish arm of yours, you'll step aside!" The main lights in the room Lex was imprisoned in turned on and three individuals walked in. McFist and Viceroy were close behind none other than Mordea, her heeled boots clicked on the linoleum floor.

"Kasumi! What a pleasure it is to meet such a troublesome ninja!" Mordea greeted with a smile that help anything BUT kindness.

"Viceory, can you be a dear and hold my coat." She tossed the fuzzy magenta coat at Viceroy, hitting him square in the face.

"Don't boss around Viceroy! That's my job!" McFist ordered.

"Silence! I'll do what I want! I'm the only one here with an actual brain!" Mordea snapped before turning back to Lex. (But…doesn't McFist technically have two?)

"So, I'm going to assume you know why you're here?"

"To be honest, no one told me why you captured me."

"Then allow me to explain. Our boss, the Sorcerer, wants the Ninja disposed of. Eliminated. Annihilated. Gone. Now that there's another pesky Ninja, you can see how that may upset him. So, we tried to catch you BOTH. That failed and the boss isn't happy. Get the picture yet?"

"You want to destroy us. It's a pretty simple plan. Too bad it won't work."

"Aww, how cute. You think it won't work. Well, I'm listening, sweetheart. How will my genius plan fail?"

"I'm gonna escape somehow and me and the Ninja are going to win in this 'good vs evil' thing you've got going on."

"Listen sweetie," Mordea pressed the button that sent the painful shocks through the cage and Lex tried not to scream. Mordea walked back to the cage and stood face to face with Lex, "I'm going to win, because I never lose. You and the Ninja are as good as dead with the Sorcerer and I against you. Do you want to know why? Because I have this." Mordea reached into the leather bag strapped around her shoulder and brought out a bright green pearl that fit perfectly in the palm of her hand.

"Do you know what this is?" Lex nodded warily, still staring at the one thing she was hoping not to see.

"Good. You probably also know what it can do. I've been given permission to use this if I had any trouble with you or the Ninja. If you want to know anything else, you can ask our boss in just a moment." Mordea sashayed over to a clear green tube. Not long after, the sneering face of the Sorcerer appeared.

"Hello Sorcerer. It's wonderful to see you again. We have some good news."

"What is it?"

"I caught Kasumi singlehandedly!" McFist said proudly, pushing Mordea aside so he stood in front of the Sorcerer.

"Nonsense! Viceroy built the robot and I devised the plan. All you did was watch from the sidelines!" Mordea said, glaring at McFist.

"I got her to get rid of her weapons!"

"No, you used unnecessary force against a teenage girl in a halloween costume!"

"Enough!" The Sorcerer demanded, the two shutting up immediately.

"I want to see this pest." The cage moved over so it was in clear sight of the Sorcerer and he laughed diabolically.

"Perfect! We have the Ninja's little girlfriend!" Lex blushed but tried it cover it up with the scowl already on her face.

"Real funny. What are you hoping to accomplish by catching the sidekick? I'm not exactly your number one enemy, but I'll become it if I have to."

"How cute. You think you can challenge him."

"Only because. Know what he's after. Why'd you catch me when we all know the one you really want is the Ninja?"

"I wanted you both. I can't have one ninja gone only to have it replaced by another one. Every obstacle I have will be disposed of and I'll be able to rule!"

"You won't get away with it."

"Oh? Please enlighten me and explain how so?"

"As long as there's a Ninja, there's the hope and skill needed to stop your idiotic schemes. I'll get out and when the Ninja and I find you, we will stop all of this progress you've made."

"I highly doubt that. I WILL capture the Ninja and make him suffer before getting rid of him–"

"If you even DARE to touch him, I will kill you!" Lex shouted, shaking the bars of the cage and making it move around.

"Is that weakness? Are you afraid of him being hurt? Brutally tortured? Never seeing the sun again."

"SHUT UP!" The Sorcerer cackled and Mordea smirked deviously.

"Do you…care for him, Kasumi? Perhaps even love him?" Lex stopped, glaring at them as her blush worsened. 'Do I?'

"I believe I've guessed correctly." Mordea chuckled, smirking at Lex as the Sorcerer grinned.

"Now with that information, I think that you know that we WILL catch the Ninja."

"H-how?" "It's quite simple actually. We're going to use bait." Lex gasped as everyone laughed and the Sorcerer's face faded away.

"Now, if you two men would kindly leave." Mordea said with her sickening grin, confusing McFist and Viceroy.

"What do you mean?" Viceroy asked at the same time McFist said, "Why do you need to order me out of my own lab?!"

"I need a moment with Miss Kasumi. Now, if you'll get a move on. You wouldn't me to use this," Mordea held up the chaos pearl, "would you?" The two shook their heads and reluctantly walked out of the room, leaving Lex alone with her sister.

"So, anymore questions or comments before your interrogation continues?"

"Why are YOU doing this? What purpose do you have to team up with the most evil thing on the planet?"

"You really want to know?" Mordea walked up to Lex's cage and smirked.

"I may as well tell you why we've locked you up like an animal in a zoo. You know what the Sorcerer wants out of our deal, but what about my end of it? I want revenge and power. Years ago, the thing that ruined my life was born. She was my sister. I use to be the center of attention, the most loved, and an absolutely perfect child until that cretin came along. I could've survived, seeing as she didn't care about anything. That was until my beloved mother died." Mordea looked down, her raven black hair shielding her emerald eyes from view.

"I loved my mother…she was the sweetest person you could ever meet. No matter how much of a brat Alexandria or I was, she still loved us. I had those moments where I truly hated her, but they never lasted longer than a day. When she died, I snapped. I hate my sister and I hide my grief with that hatred to this day. She's the reason I'm so cruel! She's the reason I'm insane! She's the reason I'm a wreck!" Lex's eyes softened and, for the first time, felt empathy towards her sister. The one she always thought was out to get her. The one who crushed their mother's memory…all because she could never betray her feelings.

"Mordea…maybe it's not her fault."

"What? Are you saying it's mine?!"

"No! I'm not! I'm saying it's neither of your faults. Look, I'm…very sad that…your mom died, but that doesn't give you the right to seek revenge and power over people. It won't make your heart whole again. Only forgiveness can."

"What would you know?! You never lost the one person who meant the world and more to you!"

"…I understand more than you think." Mordea looked up, her vicious glare staring straight into Lex's purple irises. Her own orbs widened, but only for a split second as she turned around and stomped away.

"You don't know anything…" Mordea whispered before leaving the room silently.