Everyone gathered in the mess hall for dinner. The room was split in half, but everyone just sat where they wanted to. The ninja all say together.
"Where's Nya?" Kai asked when he didn't see his sister.
"Nya had gone to bed early," Garmadon told him.
"Is she sick?" Jay asked, making no effort to hide the concern in his voice.
"I'm sure she's fine. It was just a long night last night," Garmadon said. "That's why I don't want you guys snooping around. You need rest."
"Lloyd and I actually talked about that," Alex said. "We came to the same conclusion. We totally get your concern. The thing is though, if Lucas feels like a prisoner again. . ."
"We're just worried," Lloyd jumped in. "If Master Chen is trying to manipulate us using Joey's magic and if he has some kind of scheme, Lucas could get hurt."
"Lucas has his powers," Garmadon said, sounding more like he was trying to reassure himself more than his kids. "He'll be fine."
"Okay, but–"
"Attention, contestants!"
"Ugh!" Tove growled in frustration. "Why does he always feel the need to talk when I'm trying to do or say something?!"
Everyone looked to Master Chen, Clouse, and Joey. "The teams have been decided!" Master Chen announced. "Clouse, please read the lists!"
"Of course, Master," Clouse said. He stepped forwards, skimming over a piece of paper before saying, "The Elemental Masters on Team One are ice, shadow, transformation, steel, fire, speed, mind, lightning, amber, and weapons." He paused again as he looked over the second list. "Team Two will consist of light, spirits, sound, gravity, nature, earth, water, poison, smoke, and energy."
The ninja all exchanged looks.
"What about us?" Echo questioned softly.
Nancy shrugged and stood up, making Echo regret mentioning it. The brunette loudly asked, "I thought you wanted us to compete too!"
Master Chen smiled at the girl. "Of course you three will be competing! Halfway through the compition it will be just you three. It doesn't seem fair to pin you against someone with so much experience, so it's just something fun for the three of you to do."
Caleb nervously rubbed his hands together. Without him realizing it, a paper clip appeared. He stared at Chen and then looked to Nancy and Echo.
"Uh, any reason for the paper clip?" Echo asked.
Caleb looked down and dropped the paper clip. He shook his head and signed, It just happened.
"Okay, so we're split up," Cole said, trying to think of a bright side. "We'll figure something out."
"Shade and I are on the same team," Alex said, staring at the Master of Shadow. "You have got to be kidding me."
"Okay, so it seems to be me, Vanessa, Tove, and Cole on a team," Lloyd said. "The rest of you are on the other team."
"Stick together as much as you can," Sensei Wu advised.
Zane nodded. "Of course."
"Let me go!" Lucas yelled as he struggled against the guards. They pushed him into the factory and shut the door before Lucas could run out. The Master of Mind hit the door once and turned to the machines.
"Lucas!" Zoey called, running over to him.
Lucas hugged Zoey as she ran into his arms. "I'm so glad you're safe," he said.
"Back to work!" one of the guards growled.
Lucas shot him an annoyed look and walked over to the machines, his arm protectively around Zoey. "What's going on?" he whispered.
"Did you mean why did Chen catch me or what we're suppose to be doing?" Zoey asked.
"Both."
"I refused to fight," she said. "Since I have powers, it was either fight in his tournament to be taken down here, but I didn't know I wasn't allowed to just watch. Anyway, we're suppose to make noodles and stuff for Chen's restaurant."
Lucas thought over it for a moment. "Is Lar down here?"
Zoey nodded and lead Lucas over to a machine, whispering, "Act like you're working."
Lucas nodded.
Lar looked up as the couple approached him. "Hey," he said. "I guess you lost your fight too. I thought Zoey–"
Zoey shook her head guiltily. "I distracted him."
"Zoe, it's not your fault," Lucas told her. He started using the machine. "It doesn't matter that I lost. What we need to do is warn the others. The ninja if we can."
"Yeah, but how?" Lar frowned. "They have at least ten guards in the factory, a few more at the only door, and we don't have our powers."
"Zoey has her powers," Lucas said. "Right?"
"Well, yes, but I don't see how that helps," Zoey mumbled.
"You're a seer," Lar stated, like that's all the arguement they needed. When he saw the look of doubt on her face he added, "Something's bound to come to you."
"We won't force it," Lucas assured her. "Just let us know if you see anything."
Zoey gave a nod and turned back to the machinary.
At around nine thirty, all of the ninja—including Echo, Nancy, and Caleb—were in Kai's room.
"Does everyone have an actual bed but me?" Cole complained. "Mine's just a big rock."
Tove chuckled. "Hey, I'm sure Alex wouldn't mind sharing."
Both Alex's face and Cole's face turned red.
"I really hope we face each other at some point," Alex said. "I'd like a fight where I don't have to hold back."
"Focus guys," Kai said. "Where do we go first?"
"I say we check out the factory and see how Lucas is," Lloyd said.
"Garmadon said the eight of us weren't suppose to look," Jay reminded them. "So let's do just that. Let's not all go."
"That's actually a good idea, eh," Vanessa told him.
"And Jay is right," Zane said. "We would be too much of a target if we all go."
"We decided something," Echo jumped in.
"You should take Caleb with you on this," Nancy added.
Caleb looked at them like they definitely did not talk about that.
"All right," Alex said. "But why Caleb? I would've guessed either of you would be the first to jump at a mission."
"As much as the two of us want to go, Caleb's powers would be the most useful," Nancy stated. "Plus it's Caleb, he's stealthier than Echo and I combined."
"And those trap doors look like they went underground," Echo added quietly, mainly to herself.
Nancy smiled and put her arm around Echo. "See, we agreed."
Where was my input on this? Caleb signed.
"Well. . ." Echo laughed nervously.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Kai said, "but I think it's a good idea if you do."
Caleb's eyes lit up. Really?
Lloyd nodded. "Not only are your powers extremely useful, but you and Lucas only communicate through Lucas's powers. He's sure to know we're coming if he picks up your thoughts."
"All right, then it will be Kai, Lloyd, Caleb, and. . ." Jay looked to his nindroid friend. "Zane, you should go too."
Zane gave a nod.
"The rest of us will find a way to cover you," Cole said. He laid down on Kai's bed.
"Cole, is your bed really a rock?" Echo asked.
"Yes," Cole replied, pushing himself up.
"Mine feels like a cloud," Echo said, smiling at him.
Cole sat up. "Don't brag about–" His sentence was cut off when the bed flipped over.
"Cole!" Vanessa gasped. "Eh, what just happened?"
"It's a secret passage," Kai said. "Well, I know how we're sneaking around."
The bed flipped back and Cole jumped off. "Uh. . . you're welcome."
Kai, Lloyd, Zane, and Caleb sat down on the been.
"Okay, how did you do that?" Lloyd asked.
"I don't know," Cole confessed. "I just sat up and it flipped."
"Okay, so if we just–"
The bed flipped again, leaving the four hanging from the bed sheets. The three ninja dropped down, and Lloyd turned, catching Caleb and setting him down. The bed then flipped back.
"Okay, we need light," Kai said. "Zane can you. . ." His voice trailed when a light lit up the path ahead. He looked to Caleb who was holding a flashlight in his hand. "Wow. Good job, kid."
Caleb smiled, starting down the hall with Lloyd right behind him. Kai and Zane exchanged looks and hurried after them.
"Which way do you think the factory is?" Lloyd asked aloud.
Zane took a look around, seeing the path they needed to take. He turned to Caleb, holding his hand out. "Perhaps I can lead."
Caleb handed Zane the flashlight. I'm sure I would get us lost anyway, he signed in the light.
Zane gave a soft smile. "You're doing good for your first mission."
After a few minutes of walking, they reached a larger corridor.
"All right, we need to be cautious," Lloyd whispered. "We can't get caught."
The others nodded and they followed Zane to the right. No longer needing the flashlight, Zane turned it off and gave it to Caleb. The young boy just looked at it for a moment, but then he held it like he could use it as a weapon. They slowed down, hiding behind rocks as they reached a large door.
"All right," Kai whispered. "That must be the factory. We need a distraction."
Caleb sat down, putting the flashlight on his lap and placing his hands together, concentrating. A small robotic T-Rex appeared in his hands. He set it down and signed, If we can get this down the hall and turn it on, it will draw the guards there.
"Brilliant," Kai smiled. "Zane, can you make a thin layer of ice so we can push it that way?"
Zane nodded. He shot ice at the floor, a layer glossing over and stretching out a few meters.
"Caleb, slid it along the ice."
Caleb did as he was told. The guards didn't seem to notice it slid to the middle of the corridor.
Kai placed his hand on the ice, melting it. The water seeped into the ground almost immediately. "Okay, Lloyd–"
"Way ahead of you," Lloyd said, aiming for the toy. He sent a spark of green electricity at it. They toy turned on and started making dinosaur noises, drawing the guards' attention.
"What's that?" one of them asked.
"Looks like some toy," another replied. "Do you think one of the kids is done here?"
"Nah, they probably just left it lying around and someone brought it here to mess with us," the first told him. "I say we humor him."
The two guards walked passed them. The four hurriedly went over to the doors.
"My scanners say that the factory is just on the other side," Zane said. "But there are also several more guards on the inside."
"Caleb, got anymore tricks up your sleeve?" Lloyd asked.
Caleb thought for a moment and then shrugged.
"That's okay," Kai said, looking towards the distracted guards. "I have an idea."