Just as expected a shipping truck pulled up behind the museum and two guys started piling artifacts into the back of the truck while a third guy examined them tossing anything that he thought wasn't valuable.
"Why did they need all of us," Jay whispered landing next to Lloyd on the rooftop.
Lloyd crouched low, keeping his voice just above a whisper as he observed the scene below. "Because it's never just three guys and a truck. There's always more to it." His eyes scanned the surrounding area, searching for any signs of reinforcements or hidden accomplices.
Kai landed beside them, his arms crossed. "They're not exactly subtle. Are we even sure these guys are part of the Syndicate? They look like amateurs."
Zane's voice crackled softly through their earpieces. "Their patterns match the Syndicate's standard procedure. Overconfidence is often their flaw. Proceed with caution nonetheless."
"Hey, so you really think it was a good idea to leave Harumi in the monastery alone," Kai asked not bothering to hide the distrust in his voice.
Lloyd's jaw tightened at the mention of Harumi, but he kept his focus on the scene below. "I trust her."
"I'm glad one of us does," Kai muttered, his tone sharp. He shifted his gaze back to the truck, but the tension between him and Lloyd was palpable.
Lloyd exhaled slowly, trying to keep his emotions in check. He knew Harumi was a sore subject for the team, and Kai wasn't the only one with doubts. But this wasn't the time for another argument.
"We're here to stop a robbery, not debate trust issues," Lloyd said firmly. "Focus."
Jay nodded quickly, sensing the tension and wanting to diffuse it. "Right, focus. So, do we go in now, or wait for them to finish loading the truck and follow them?"
Zane answered before Lloyd could. "We must act now. If we allow them to leave with the artifacts, we risk losing track of them. There is also the matter of the collateral damage they may cause in a chase."
"Fine by me," Kai said, loosening his katanas from their sheaths as he readied himself for the fight. "Let's make this quick. I'm getting tired of babysitting thieves."
Lloyd gave a sharp nod. "We'll go in fast and quiet. Split into pairs—Kai, you're with me. Jay, you're with Zane. Zane, disable the truck. Jay, keep an eye on their comms in case they try to call for backup. Cole and Nya cover the exits." The team moved swiftly, gliding down from the rooftop and silently approaching the back of the museum. Kai and Lloyd crouched behind a stack of crates near the truck, while Jay and Zane took position a few paces behind them.
"Ready?" Lloyd whispered to Kai.
"Born ready," Kai muttered, cracking his knuckles.
Lloyd motioned for Jay and Zane to get into position. The two nodded in unison, with Jay slipping into the shadows to monitor the thieves' communications, while Zane went toward the truck, his movements precise and calculated. The thieves, completely unaware, continued their work, loading what looked like priceless artifacts into the truck. The man inspecting them carelessly tossed aside anything that didn't meet his apparent standards, not realizing the consequences of their actions.
"You're sure you want to do this the quiet way?" Kai asked, already tensing with anticipation.
Lloyd gave him a look. "Patience. Just wait for my signal." With a subtle motion of his hand, Lloyd gestured for the team to move in. In a flash, Kai was in the air, spinning through the shadows and taking out one of the thieves guarding the rear of the truck with a swift kick. The man crumpled to the ground, barely making a sound. Lloyd was right behind him, disarming another guard with a quick jab and knocking him unconscious before he had a chance to react. The third man, still inside the truck, froze as he realized the situation was about to turn.
"Give it up buddy, you're outnumbered and cornered," Kai taunted walking closer to him, katana stretched out. The man inside the truck hesitated for a moment, his eyes darting around as if looking for an escape. But there was no way out—Kai and Lloyd had him trapped.
"Thought you were smarter than this," Lloyd said, his voice cold and steady. He kept his distance, watching for any sudden moves.
The man gritted his teeth, his hand inching toward a hidden weapon tucked into his belt and in a flash, he was on their other side a defiant smirk on his face. "Did you really think I would make it that easy?"
"What? But how did you…" Lloyd stammered trying to process the shift in the battle.
The man brandished a stone dagger with purple accents in front of them that seemed to pulse faintly, as if alive with some kind of energy. "You see during our first heist I found this nifty little weapon that lets me teleport around. That's why the stupid police couldn't stop us and you won't be able to either."
Kai narrowed his eyes, gripping his katana tighter. "Great. A cocky thief with a magic dagger. Just what we needed."
Lloyd's expression darkened as he scanned the artifact in the man's hand. The dagger radiated an ominous energy that felt all too familiar but he couldn't place why. They had to get that dagger away; there was no telling what it could actually do. "Stay sharp," Lloyd said, shifting his stance. "We don't know what else that thing can do."
Kai's eyes flicked to Lloyd for a split second, then back to the thief. "Do we take him down the quiet way or the fun way?"
The thief smirked, clearly enjoying the advantage the dagger gave him. "Let me save you the trouble of deciding." He slashed the dagger through the air, and in an instant, a wave of violet energy erupted, sending both Kai and Lloyd scrambling to avoid it.
Lloyd rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the arc of magic that left a scorch mark on the concrete where he'd just been standing. "Guys, we're gonna need some backup," Lloyd spoke into his earpiece.
"We are en route," Nya's voice responded through the comms.
The thief flickered out of existence again, reappearing on top of a nearby crate. "You heroes are predictable," he sneered. "Always playing it safe, always thinking you're in control."
Kai lunged, slashing his katana in a wide arc, but the thief vanished again, appearing behind him. "Too slow," the thief taunted, slamming a boot into Kai's back and sending him stumbling forward. Lloyd barely had time to react before the thief turned his attention to him. He teleported again, materializing just inches away, dagger raised to strike. Lloyd twisted at the last second, catching the thief's wrist and locking it in place. For a moment, the thief's smirk faltered, but then a pulse of energy shot through the dagger, forcing Lloyd to let go. The thief teleported again, landing a few feet away, panting slightly but still grinning. "Gotta say, you're a little tougher than I expected."
Lloyd clenched his fists, his mind racing for a strategy. The dagger was powerful, but every time the thief used it, there was a brief delay—a moment where he needed to regain his footing. That was their opening.
Kai recovered from the kick, rolling his shoulders with an irritated grunt. "Okay, I'm officially done playing around." His hands ignited with flickering flames as he glared at the thief. "Let's see you teleport out of this." Before Lloyd could warn him, Kai launched a fireball straight at the thief. The man smirked and vanished just as the flames reached him—but the fireball didn't fizzle out. Instead, it exploded against the crate behind him, sending a burst of burning debris into the air.
The thief reappeared a few feet away, coughing as smoke billowed around him. "Hah! Missed—" He didn't get to finish. A sudden blast of water struck him from the side, knocking him off balance and sending the dagger skidding across the pavement.
"Did I miss?" Nya called, landing gracefully next to Kai, water still dripping from her hands.
Kai grinned. "Not even a little."
The thief scrambled to his feet, panic flashing in his eyes as he reached for the dagger—only for a wall of earth to erupt between him and the weapon. Cole strode forward, arms crossed. "Hate to break it to you, but the fun's over."
The thief clenched his fists, eyes darting between the ninja and his lost dagger. Then, in a last-ditch effort, he lunged for the weapon—only to be tackled mid-air by Jay, who crashed down from above in a blur of blue.
"Gotta say, teleporting is cool and all," Jay quipped, pinning the thief's arms behind his back. "But you still gotta be faster than lightning."
Lloyd strode forward, picking up the fallen dagger and holding it up to the light. Its pulsing energy had dimmed as if recognizing its wielder had been defeated. He frowned. "This isn't just any artifact… It's something dangerous."
Zane approached, scanning the dagger with his analytical gaze. "Its energy signature is not of this world. It may be linked to dark magic."
Lloyd tightened his grip. "Then we make sure it never falls into the wrong hands again."
The thief struggled against Jay's hold, but it was pointless. Nya stepped forward, arms folded. "You might wanna start talking. Who gave you this dagger?"
The thief just smirked despite his predicament. "You really think I'd tell you anything? You must be dumber than you look."
Kai scoffed, stepping closer. "Buddy, you really don't wanna test our patience right now."
Jay arched a brow. "Yeah, we just spent the last ten minutes chasing you around like a glitchy video game boss, and honestly? I'm not in the mood for more surprises." He tightened his grip on the thief's wrists, making the man wince. The thief clenched his jaw, eyes darting between them as if weighing his options. His confidence wavered now that he was completely outnumbered, his stolen advantage stripped away.
Lloyd took a step forward, his expression unreadable. "You don't have a lot of choices here," he said evenly. "You can talk, or we can take you back to the police and let them ask the questions. And trust me, they won't be as patient as we are."
The thief let out a sharp breath, his shoulders slumping. "Look, I don't know who originally had the dagger," he admitted. "We got it from a fence—someone dealing in black market artifacts. We didn't ask questions; we just took what we needed."
Lloyd exchanged a glance with Zane, who nodded slightly. He was telling the truth—at least, mostly.
"Who's the fence?" Nya pressed, stepping forward with her arms crossed.
The thief hesitated, then sighed. "Goes by the name Sting. Runs his deals out of the docks on the east side of the city. That's all I know."
Kai scoffed. "See? That wasn't so hard." He turned to Lloyd. "So, what's the plan? Pay this 'Sting' a visit?"
Lloyd nodded, "Yeah. But first, we make sure this guy gets where he belongs."
Jay patted the thief's shoulder with a grin. "Congrats, buddy. You get a free ride to the police station. Hope you like small, windowless rooms." The thief scowled but didn't resist as Zane and Cole stepped forward to secure him.
As the team regrouped, Lloyd glanced down at the dagger, feeling the faint hum of its power beneath his fingers. Something about it unsettled him. This wasn't over—not by a long shot. Maybe Wu would have some idea where this dagger originated from. Besides, they had to stop at the monastery anyway. It would be stupid to bring something like this with them. As they secured the thief and prepared to move out, Lloyd's mind remained fixated on the dagger. Its energy felt eerily familiar, but he couldn't pinpoint why. He hoped Wu could shed some light on it.
Kai nudged him as they walked. "You okay? You've got that brooding face again."
Lloyd sighed, slipping the dagger into a secure pouch on his belt. "Just thinking. This thing… it feels off. Like it doesn't belong here."
Zane, who had been quietly analyzing the weapon, nodded in agreement. "It is possible this dagger is linked to a larger network of relics. If that is the case, the Syndicate may not be the only ones seeking such artifacts."
Jay groaned. "Great. So, instead of a bunch of low-tier crooks, we're dealing with magical treasure hunters? Why is it never just a normal robbery?"
Cole smirked. "Wouldn't be any fun if it was." Lloyd managed a small smirk at Cole's comment, but his mind remained elsewhere. The Syndicate, this dagger, and now a potential artifact smuggling ring? Things were escalating fast.