The sterile silence of the hospital room shattered again, this time with the excited chatter of Lloyd, Nya, Rumi, and Jay bursting through the door. Their arrival was a stark contrast to the tense mood that had settled in.

"Hey guys, guess what? We-" Lloyd began, his voice brimming with the thrill of their recent encounter. He stopped short, however, as his eyes landed on Skylar nestled comfortably beside Kai. A mischievous grin spread across his face.

"Ooooh, is someone getting cozy?" he teased, his voice dripping with mock surprise.

Skylar, caught off guard, shot Lloyd a playful glare. "Knock it off, Lloyd," she swatted him playfully on the arm.

Kai, his cheeks flushing a faint red, mumbled a grumbled response, "Yeah, Lloyd. Maybe focus on the actual mission instead of imaginary love stories."

Lloyd, ignoring their protests, turned to his teammates. "Alright, alright, enough teasing. But seriously, you guys wouldn't believe what just happened!" He launched into a breathless recount of their encounter with the Mechanic, detailing the botched capture, the smell bomb, and the villain's escape.

As he spoke, a collective frown settled on everyone's faces. The Mechanic's cryptic words about a smaller team and his lack of knowledge about Wu's disappearance were unsettling.

"He didn't know about Wu or anyone else being missing?" Vania echoed, her voice laced with disbelief.

Jay scratched his head, his earlier irritation over the stink bomb forgotten. "So, what was he after then? And why did he care if it was just a few of us?"

Rumi pondered for a moment. "Perhaps his plan hinges on a specific number of ninja being present. Maybe there's a location he can only access with a smaller team, or a trap he needs us to fall into."

The room fell silent, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Cole's weakened state added another layer of worry to their already heavy hearts.

"We need to figure out what the Mechanic's up to," Lloyd declared, his voice firm despite the gnawing uncertainty. "And we need to do it fast. But with Cole..." He trailed off, his gaze drifting towards his unconscious friend.

Vania, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "We'll stay here with Cole. But you guys need to follow up on this lead. We can't let the Mechanic win."

A look of determination passed between the remaining ninja. They would split their forces, some staying to protect Cole and some pursuing the Mechanic. It wasn't ideal, but they were a team, and they would adapt.

With a silent nod of understanding, Lloyd turned back to his teammates. "Alright," he said, his voice resolute. "We'll gather any intel we can about the Mechanic's plans. And Nya, maybe you can use your Samurai X scans to see if there are any hidden locations in the city that might require a smaller team to access."

Nya, her eyes gleaming with newfound purpose, nodded in agreement. "On it, Lloyd."

As the four ninja prepared to leave, Kai lingered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Skylar. "We'll be back soon," he promised, a hint of concern softening his voice.

Skylar offered him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, hotshot. We'll hold down the fort. Just bring back some good news, okay?"

Kai gave her a weak smile in return. With a final nod, he turned and joined his team, leaving Skylar, Vania, and the unconscious Cole behind. The weight of their divided mission settled on their shoulders, but they faced it with unwavering loyalty and a fierce determination to protect their friends and their city.  

* Sorry for it being so short!*

This is the author, BTW