(A/N: There is a small movie reference to a movie I liked as a kid)
Several minutes later, the Ninja told Navis that they needed to interrogate The Mechanic and allowed them.
In the interrogation room just a few minutes later, Kai slams a folder with Prime Empire's symbol on it, in front of The Mechanic, who was handcuffed to the table. "What is this symbol?" Kai asked.
Nya comes over to the other side of him. "Where's Jay?" She asked. "What did you do to him?"
"You better start talking, pal, or it's gonna be a long night." Blake said.
"What's going on with that creepy arcade game?" Cole asked.
Geoff soon slammed his hands on the table. "And who's Unagami?" He asked.
This got The Mechanic's attention. "Where the hell did you hear that name?" He asked, completely surprised.
"So, you do know him?" Gewuji asked.
The Mechanic looks away. "I've searched my database of all known criminals and have found no reference to 'Unagami.'" Zane said.
The Mechanic scoffs. "He can control your pathetic database." He replied. "Soon, he'll control everything!"
The door soon opened, and everyone turned to see Navis come in. "What's the name of that arcade game that you're all worked up about?" He asked as the door closed behind him.
"Prime Empire?" Lloyd asked.
Navis nods at him. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's the one." He turns to the others. "I'm getting reports from all over the city that a bunch of arcade games are changing into it.
"Changing?" Blake asked.
"How?" Nya asked while The Mechanic laughs.
"I don't know." Navis replied. "They just changed. Overnight. The game was one thing, and now it's Prime Empire."
"Remember the weird pulse of energy when Jay started up the game?" Kai asked. "I wonder if that had something to do with it?"
The Mechanic laughs again. "You can't stop it." He replied, and everyone glared at him. "It's too late. It's starting. Just like he said!"
Lloyd puts his hands on the table. "What's starting?" He asked. "What did you do?"
"Me? Why, nothing. I've been with your police buddies all night." He then turned to Gewuji with a mocking smirk. "Including your boyfriend."
Gewuji immediately became angry. "Commissioner, would you throw this criminal in a cell?" She asked.
Navis smiles and heads for the door. "It would be my pleasure." He replied, opening the door, and Caine and Nate come in. "Lock him up, boys!" They immediately moving towards The Mechanic with Nate unlocking one cuff to force his arms behind his back to recuff him.
The Mechanic started to laugh as Caine and Nate pick him up and start to drag him out. "You can't stop it!" He said as he is dragged along the floor. "It's too late! It's starting!" He is led out of the room. He manages to get free to peek his head in. "Just like he said it would! It's all-" Hearing enough, Navis slams the door on his face. "Hey, ow, watch it!"
The Ninja immediately crowd around the table. "Prime Empire was created by a programmer named Milton Dyer." Zane said. "He is a legend in the gaming industry and considered one of the best coders of all time. If anyone can tell us about Prime Empire, it will be Milton Dyer."
They turn to Navis, who opens the door. "Thanks for your time, Commissioner." Lloyd said.
"Always a pleasure." Navis replied as they all leave.
Out in the precinct, the Ninja start to head for the doors while passing by a couple of officers dragging in a middle aged man. "I saw it!" He yelled, acting a little crazy. "A bright light! Coming out of an arcade game! I tried to warn that little girl, but she wouldn't listen."
"Yeah, yeah." One of the officers replied, disbelieving him.
"But it was!"
"Hey, Jimmy, is Hayden back yet?" Navis asked Jimmy, who was by a phone.
"No, he hasn't yet, sir." He replied, gaining Gewuji's attention. "He's not answering his phone or radio either."
"Commissioner, what happened?" Gewuji asked, coming up to him while the others look on.
"When the game started popping up, I sent Hayden to check out Benny's Arcade Emporium, but he hasn't reported back in yet." He replied. "I'm gonna send a unit to try and find him." He walks away as the others came up to her.
"Do you think maybe he got caught up in that game?" Kai asked.
"Mantis only played once when he came here." Gewuji replied. "Fist to Face 3. Hated it when Jay beat him. Never played there again."
"Not to mention he broke the cabinet's monitor." Nya said.
"We won't get answers standing around here." Lloyd replied. "Let's go pay Milton Dyer a visit at once."
The following morning, the Destiny's Bounty was making its way over Ninjago City, its shadow gaining some attention from the civilians on the streets.
In the bridge aboard the Bounty, once they were out in the Endless Sea, Lloyd, who was at the helm, activates the autopilot before joining Kai, Zane, Cole, Nya, Geoff, Gewuji and Blake, who were looking up information about Milton Dyer on the UHF before a photo of a middle aged man with brown hair, moustache, glasses, and wearing a blue suit appeared on the monitor. "You'd think there'd be an easier way to contact Milton Dyer than flying to an island and trying to figure out which house is his." Cole said.
"Dyer is a recluse." Blake replied. "No one has seen him for almost 30 years."
"However, it is a private island and there is only one house." Zane said. "His."
"He owns the whole island?" Nya asked.
"That explains why it's called 'Dyer Island'." Kai replied.
"Very few people know about this island." Blake said. "Only ones permitted to visit are game designers, beta testers... they even had an event held on that island."
"Event?" Gewuji asked.
"Apparently, there was some sort of competition, where many fans wanted their game ideas created by Milton Dyer. OutBoarding was the overall winner... by default."
"What happened?" Geoff asked.
Before Blake could explain, a beep goes off, and Zane goes to check it out. "Looks like we're coming up on Dyer Island." He said, heading towards the helm to turn the autopilot off.
The Destiny's Bounty makes its way to an island that had mountains and a waterfall, as well as rock pillars around one part of the island before it makes its way to the front.
Upon reaching the entrance, the anchor is dropped down, and hits the ground before the Ninja slid down it with Nya being first, followed by Cole, then Gewuji, then Zane, then Blake, then Lloyd, then Geoff, and finally Kai. They soon turn to a couple of gates that, along with wall on each side of it, had some vines and tree roots with leaves around them. "Guys, are we sure this is the right private island?" Nya asked, looking at it.
"I agree." Geoff said, coming up to look at a tree root. "This place looks a little... rundown."
"These coordinates are correct." Zane replied as Nya and Geoff pull back the left gate with effort, until it was enough for them to squeeze through.
What laid ahead appeared to be a hedge maze, where they start to move around it. "What is this?" Cole asked.
"It is a hedge maze."
"Where's Jay when you need him?" Gewuji asked, looking around the hedge walls. "He says he's good at mazes."
"Jay is stuck in Prime Empire." Zane misunderstands her.
"I know he is. It's a little thing called sarcasm. Blake, you better work on him when this is over."
"Yes, sir." Blake sarcastically said.
They soon come across a statue of Milton with angel wings, which is also covered in tree roots. 'By the looks of it, Dyer's not the only one who's been missing for 30 years." Kai said, looking at it, as the others pass by. "His gardener clearly vanished too. I mean, look at this mess." He notices the others were ahead of him, and moves to catch up, unaware that the eyes of the statue were now glowing red.
A few minutes later, they move along the maze as they try to reach the end, only to come across a dead end. "Argh, a dead end." Nya muttered.
"I told you we should've taken the path on the right." Cole replied.
"Well, I'm sorry." She sarcastically spoke before they turn to head back the way they came.
A few seconds later, they unfortunately come across another dead end. "Another one."
"Should've gone left." They immediately turn head back the way they came again.
A few seconds later, they once again reach a dead end again. "Nope." Blake said. They head back the way they came once more.
A few more seconds later, they once again reach another dead end again. "Back to square one." Lloyd said as they turn around to go back the way they came once more again.
Even a few more seconds later, they once again reach a dead end. "This is ridiculous!" Nya yelled before they head back the way they came.
They soon came across three paths, and Nya was immediately annoyed while the others look down each path. "Okay, seriously, someone tell me which path is the correct one before I start to really lose my patience!" She groans in frustration. "Where's Jay when you need him?!"
"We go left." Geoff said, pointing out to the path and not looking at them.
They all look at him with suspicion. "How do you know that?" Gewuji asked her brother.
He turned back to show them he had activated his Sand Sight. "Master of Sand. Duh." He deactivates his Sand Sight before he starts to head down the path. "Come on!" They quickly move to catch up with him.
Eventually, they manage to reach the end of the maze, coming across a courtyard. The courtyard appeared to be in a better condition than around the maze, except for the trees and bushes before seeing a three story house ahead. It too was covered in tree roots and had few cracked windows. They move towards the front doors that had door knockers on each door. "Wow." Nya said.
"Anyone can just walk up to the front door?" Blake asked. "You'd think he'd have a little security."
"Or a hedge trimmer." Kai sarcastically replied as they head toward the doors.
Kai grabs one of the door knockers before hitting it against the door. "You are trespassing on Dyer Island!" A young woman's voice spoke through a nearby speaker box, which they turn to, out of shock. "Leave at once or you shall pay the price!"
"What kind of a video game designer would make that his doorbell?" Lloyd asked.
Kai simply grabs the door knocker again. "Dude, she just said we'd pay the price." Geoff said, stopping him.
"Geoff, Geoff, Geoff." Kai replied, shaking his head out of disbelief. "What could possibly happen by knocking on a door?" He soon hits the knocker on the door again. Suddenly, the ground beneath them quickly sprung up, catapulting them into the air, far away from the mansion, causing them to scream.
(A/N: Oh my, where did Hayden go? Anyone's guess. Also, there is a small hint of a future story connected to that contest that OutBoarding won by default, including from that castle in Ninjago: Desperation)