Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while; I was just doubting everything I wrote and got rather stuck. I also wanted to make a chapter as long as chapter 7.


Chapter 9: The Witness

POV: Agent Jeremy

After I left Jay's room, which was because even though I wanted to stay at his side to make sure he was ok, I knew all too well that he didn't appreciate 'being treated like an ancient porcelain of China', I went to the training room.

Roy seemed to be startled by my presence and, even though his attempts at acting calm were evident, failed to look like everything was normal as he jogged up to me with a suppressed shocked expression.

"What are you doing here," I opened my mouth to answer his question, but he went on, "Shouldn't you be with Jay?"

Roy had long given up on calling Jay by his first name and reverted to calling him by his last name after he realized that he couldn't be as close to Jay as me, which made him annoyed at Jay, so something was definitely abnormal if he called him by his first name, which was worrying.

"Why should I be with him? You know Walker doesn't like me snooping around in his room and caring for him," I said as I called Jay by his last name to inform him that I was aware of his unusual behavior.

"You don't know? They didn't tell you?" That instantly confirmed and increased my worry.

"Know what?" I asked as he placed an arm around my shoulders, pushing me back towards the hall Jay's room was in.

Looking straight ahead, he mumbled to himself, "I knew I shouldn't have trusted Taylor to do a simple job correctly."

He then gave a short glance at me from the side before explaining to me what the heck was going on, "Apparently they want all the power they can get and they want to test his limits; they're increasing the voltage."

I felt anger bubbling inside of me as I processed what he had just said.

They're increasing it?! When are they going to stop– when he has a seizure?

"They wanted you to keep an eye on him for any drastic changes– make sure he doesn't have a seizure or something."

Are they increasing it THAT MUCH? SO MUCH that he could actually die?!

As if he had read my thoughts, or maybe he was thinking it too, he said, "We're starting to get low on power and The Administrator thinks the Dragon Cores could do the job– and to steal those is going to require power."

I started to run to Jay's room and heard Roy's footsteps close behind me. I didn't think he cared that much but just didn't want to be left behind.

I bolted through Jay's door and quickly ran to his bed to look at him. It was true– he did look worse than all those other times.

He was murmuring quietly to himself– so much so that I couldn't tell what he was saying– and he was pale and sweaty. The biggest indication– however– was the fact that he either didn't hear me or was too tired to react when I thrashed open the door and bolted through, or he was completely out of it.

After Roy had done his own observing, he asked, "Well, what do you think?"

If they're making Jay sick by gathering energy to prepare us for a mission that Jay will lead, we should definitely call it off.

Hold up.

Is he going to lead the mission?

Doesn't matter– Jay's condition is obviously beyond a simple headache and dizziness– it's considered sickness at this point.

"If Jay's going to lead the mission that we're draining him to prepare for, we should definitely call it off."

"We can't– what good is Jay's wellness if he's going to fail either way because of the lack of equipment?"

'What good is Jay's wellness?'

With an exasperated sigh, I turn to him, "Then make sure they lower it and charge it gradually until we get enough energy instead of trying to supercharge it in a matter of minutes!"

It's very rare when I talk in an authoritative tone, and when I do, it means I am dead serious, hella mad, not taking 'no' for an answer, and all signs of a possible argument vanish.

Like I said, it's very rare when I get like that because that is certainly not me. I am a calm, collected, obedient, thoughtful, kind, and occasionally panicky person, but rarely angry– or angry enough, as one might say. I might get agitated or annoyed, but it's almost impossible for me to get this angry.

It's as if the rarer you do something, the more it means and gets into certain people's thick skulls.

I found myself a chair to sit in while Roy exited the room and closed the door.

I wonder if they trust Jay's brainwashing enough to lead a mission into ninja territory. We all know what happened to Jay Walker. Former ninja of lightning, the Yin of the water ninja, Nya Smith, best friend of the earth ninja, Cole Brookstone, adopted son of Ed and Edna Walker, the biological son of Cliff and Libber Gordon– the master of lighting before him, swift and fast like his element, a smart mechanic and inventor.

Got hunted by The Administration after the merging of the 16 realms–

I felt myself shudder as the memory of his arrival flashed in my mind.

The memory of the only witness.


5 years ago - POV: Newbie Jeremy

Everyone has been talking about the capture of the real elemental master of lightning, I thought to myself as curiosity took my mind over.

I felt myself starting to smile as I thought about how everything would change.

Finally! I really hope this 'master of lighting' actually is the lightning elemental. Not like Libber. I remember how disappointed and discouraged everyone was when they plugged her into the machine only to find out she had a son who inherited her electricity. I've got no idea what they did to her after that horrendous discovery, but I honestly don't care.

I didn't realize I was still mindlessly walking through the corridors.

It's been so long since we had a consistent power, and now we'll have more than we'll ever need! We'll have enough power to defend ourselves from the lurking dark creatures of the Realm of Madness!

I couldn't help but admire The Administrator. He's done so much for the people ever since the power outage, and now we'll be able to fend for ourselves. We won't have to ration our food and starve anymore and act like we're homeless.

"What are you going to do with me?"

I whipped my head around only to find a glimpse of the unfamiliar person who had spoken with an irritated voice, with a hint of fear in it, I noted.

He had curly, messy auburn hair and electric blue eyes with a blue-themed attire that had lightning bolts plastered on the side of it.

I gaped as I hid behind the curve in the hallway, realizing it was the new elemental master of lightning everyone was mentioning. His hands were tied with vengestone cuffs and two agents were holding each arm, pushing him forward as an evilly smirking Administrator led the way. No one answered his question.

I reminded myself that The Administrator is the most helpful and kind person who serves and protects his people, and is not evil, as I swiftly followed after them.

I'm too curious, I shouldn't even be doing this.

But then where's the fun in that?

I kept following them until they entered a classified storage room. It never made sense to me how a storage room could be classified, but never questioned it. I leaned on the door they went through as I eavesdropped.

"Well? Don't you ever talk? And why are you wearing sunglasses inside? Are you goblins who are sensitive to light? What realm is this? Why are you dressed like this is a formal royal dinner? What's this chair for– it's comfy. Too comfy. And why are you smirking like I'm some prize to be attained? Why–"

His blabbering was cut short by the clinking of metal accompanied by a surprised gasp. The door was completely shut– and locked, probably– so I couldn't see anything.

"What–? Let go of me!"

"So, you are the elemental master of lightning," I heard The Administrator remark.

I could almost feel this lightning master's glare.

"Years, ever since The Outing," 'The Outing' was what we called the dreaded day of our power outage, "We have searched for an interchangeable power source, one you seem to have, flowing through your veins."

The master of lightning did not intercept or even make a sound. Was he muffled?

"True power can never be lost!" The lightning elemental suddenly spat, though I could still feel his fear.

What's there to be afraid of? We only hurt monsters, not people. We just have to steal his power to help thousands– he should understand that; he had helped save Ninjago many times, unless, that is, he only cares about his people. How are we different?

"Yes, yes," the voice of The Administrator pulled me from my thoughts. "You and your element will still be connected, which is why I need you alive and well."

He still wouldn't just kill him if that wasn't the case, though, right?

I could feel my trust in The Administrator falter ever so slightly at that moment.

"I assume you're a great fighter, also, from that little stunt you pulled earlier, so I'll train you here, as one of our own."

"Aaaaand, you do realize I would never work willingly for you," the lightning master retorted.

I could feel the atmosphere change as The Administrator said, "Like you said; you'd never work for me willingly, at least, not without the proper 'encouragement.'"

I heard a series of grunts from the elemental master of lightning before The Administrator continued with a creepily sweet voice, "Which is why I have this wonderfully 'comfy chair'"

I was starting to freak out just as much as this lightning master.

What was he going to do?

"What–?"

That was all the master of lightning could muster before I heard muffled agonizing screams filling my ears.

I gasped with horror as I immediately backed away from the door. I stood there frozen a couple of feet away from the door, and when the scream didn't cease for 2 more seconds, I ran out of there, my face probably as white as a sheet.

That, was most certainly not a classified storage room.


Ever since that discovery, I stopped doing stuff I shouldn't be doing. I stopped doing stuff just because they were fun. I stopped thinking of this as a training school and more like a military boarding school.

I started being more cautious. I started caring more. I started training harder. I started questioning everything that was said. I was more obedient, more emotionless.

This place was not a playground.

You could die– or worse– get tortured–

And worse of all; no one would do anything about it.

Like me.

Ever since that discovery, I felt guilt;

I didn't say anything. I didn't do anything. I was too much of a coward to speak up in fear of no one believing me and ending up like Jay.

So he can't die just because I'm still too afraid to do anything.

I will do everything I can to make him remember in a subtle way. I'm sure if I make it obvious they'll just erase both my memories and Jay's. I'll give little hints here and there, force him to face the facts if there will be any. I just hope it's not too late.


POV: Agent Walker

I slowly started to claw my way back into consciousness as I opened my eyes to take in my surroundings. This was the first time I had actually fainted because of this 'side-effect headache', and that was worrisome.

Jeremy was sitting in a chair next to my bed looking deep in thought; he was creepily staring right at me but wasn't acknowledging the fact that I was awake. Startled, and surprised by his decision to stay, I sat up without issue, (which was also surprising,) and said,

"Could you stop staring, creep?"

He immediately jumped and thought someone was there to kill him and, apparently, the best thing to do in that situation is to slap your supposed attacker.

Slap!

I was completely shocked. I did not hesitate to slap him back.

Slap!

"The heck, dude!" I said as I slapped him.

"Oh… sorry, I guess I just dozed off–"

"Staring at me, in my sleep."

My observation was followed by an awkward silence.

"So, what hath caused you to act so creepily, dear stalker?" I asked after a long pause.

"I just dozed off while I was looking at you; you looked far worse than last time," he replied.

I felt worse than last time, I added mentally. He didn't need to know that– and I don't want him to know that; it's a weakness after all.

"You know I don't like being cared for– why did you stay?"

He opened his mouth to answer when our conversation was interrupted by Roy just barging into my room.

"Ever heard of knocking, cave-man?" I asked.

He glared at me while we were both getting ready for an upcoming nickname battle when Jeremy, who sensed what was about to come, quickly got to the point;

"What did you come here to tell us?"

Unfortunately, Roy took the chance of changing the topic; probably thinking he would lose.

"The chance we've been waiting for came," he replied as an excited grin formed from the both of us while Jeremy's 'smile' looked rather uncertain, nervous, and forced.

Interesting. I'll ask him about that later.

Roy continued as he said the thing we'd both been dying to hear.

"The ninja has left the monastery."