She had been sent to watch the jail. Read its walls and understand its movements. With one of her sisters, they read the people inside and found the Grand Masters favourite. A shadow of her former self, her mind lost in a spiral of despair and self loathing; they kept that news from him. The first time the Green Ninja had arrived, they had been there, watching. He could only be there for Harumi and her sister confirmed this. He had been called and informed of his enemies decline. Had he come to witness the fall of a great opponent? No. Her sister filtered the thoughts that cascaded through her mind; there was something else coming from the Green Ninja; confusion, regret, need, longing; a connection. She would keep this to herself also and a germ of an idea grew within her.

The Grand Master was planning a break out. She was the Ninja chosen for the task, his second best and his second favourite. This thought tasted like a spoonful of salt. She spat; Harumi would always be his prize and he thirsted for her return. Harumi had become the woman she was now because of him. She was his drive and his love, though she knew Harumi had never reciprocated his advances. As powerful and demanding as he was, their Master had never forced himself on her and still he waited in hope.

She and her sisters had been pulled from the streets and Harumi from a pit of despair. He had nurtured Harumi's pain but had thrown them into an altogether different pit; one filled with tigers; brawling scratching street kids fighting for their lives within a new hierarchy. The Grand masters vision for his prized child grew; a vicious embodiment of hate washed over with a childlike veneer of beauty that would fool both the Royal family and Ninjago. Now he was expecting a fallen warrior to return gratefully home to her master and no doubt he assumed she would come to him willingly and return his love for her. But he was wrong. She had seen it, night after night The Green Ninja had visited Harumi and she had chosen her lover. That gave her a small amount of hope; a gap through Harumi's veneer of perfection; a way in, to his heart.

Anger welled in the Shadow Ninja. In Harumi the master had mistakenly lavished his attention and hopes, but he had been wrong to do so. There was another he could train and trust and love, one who was more loyal; but he did not see what was obvious. Harumi had always been one step in front of her; one Katana stroke faster and the Master never took his eyes off of her. But now Harumi was weak from lack of training and she had seen the truth; Harumi was not his, never had been and was lost to him now. What would be the point of her returning? She certainly did not want Harumi back. It was her time to ascend from the gutter, her time to secure her sisters safety and time for their Master to appreciate her. It all seemed obvious as she sat watching in the dark. A perfect plan had presented itself. Harumi would die. Slain while protecting her lover. The Master would know that Harumi had disrespected him, spurned his love and died under a knife meant for the Green Ninja. He would turn his admiration to her and all that she had dreamed of would become real. But, the outcome she dreamt in the darkness was not the outcome she achieved. She had botched it and was now in fear for her own life.

She had fallen from the small window of the cell, disoriented from the shock of her wound. She had stemmed the flow of blood from her throat with her hand and kept moving. She would not, must not be caught. Reaching to swing to a higher level, she slipped. Fingers slick with blood, she found purchase, halting her drop to the ground below with a painful wrench. Adrenalin was her friend, it kept her moving, running as far from the scene and as close to her sisters as she could hope to go. Old tiles were slippery with moss and her feet slid for traction. Finally securing a foothold, she rested. So many falls in one night was not a good sign. Dropping into the courtyard of an unlit house, she washed her wound in a fountain and heard her breath mingle with the gentle sound of running water, but a wet gurgling came from within and she gasped at the air. Her thoughts turned to her sisters. They depended on her. She ripped her tunic and wrapped the fabric around her neck.She called to them in hope that she was close enough for one to hear. She was spent; her legs buckling beneath her, she dropped to one knee and then to all fours. The cold grass welcomed her and the blood soaked fabric slid from her neck. She would not make it back.

As she swam in and out of consciousness, two figures leant over her. She registered them momentarily and closed her eyes. A bright light and a harsh wind brought her around again. A deafening cyclical pounding thudded through her, she felt her body swing as it was lifted to the copter hovering above. Of all the sensations her failing body was experiencing this gave her the worst sense of dread. She had fallen into the hands of the enemy and she couldn't resist though she wanted to. Her fate was now in the hands of others.

Nya and Jay jumped from the rope into the copter 'Well, you found something useful then?' Cole shouted over the noise of the blades.

'Only if she lives' Nya shouted back 'she needs surgery immediately' she pulled down a coms device and spoke directly to the temple 'Misako, have Pixal ready the emergency room. We're bringing in a suspect with her throat ripped out'

Back at the temple, the assembled team all looked through the glass at the small ninja lying on the operating table. Pale and covered in blood from the wound inflicted by Harumi, she seemed young, but her small size could be misleading, they weren't sure. 'It's definitely the intruder from the prison?' asked Cole.

'For sure!' Nya said 'Not only did she leave a pretty messy trail from the window to where she fell; her wounds are consistent with Harumi's description'

'Harumi really ripped her throat out with her teeth?' Cole asked Nya in amazement 'That's some next level shit!'

'Yeah and Lloyd thought she needed protection!' Jay said shaking his head.

Pixal and Misako were in the room with the shadow ninja. Having carried out emergency surgery on the girl, they were both busy. Misako, cleared up the surgical equipment and Pixal began to cut her clothes off to clean her up.

'Ok guy's, shows over. Time to leave' Nya said and ushered them away from the window. They headed up to the kitchen for a meeting and Nya made a pot of coffee. Zane opened the fridge and took out a lemon cake he had made earlier.

Cole released a long sigh 'Zaaane. You are my best friend forever' he went to grab the plate, but Zane stopped him.

'Cole. Please will you get some plates and forks'?

Cole rolled his head and huffed 'Ugh, why do you tease me like this!' he said shaking his fists at the ceiling.

'It's called etiquette Cole. If you want to eat the cake, you must first respect the cake!'

'Do I have to respect a can of squirty cream?' he said grabbing it from the fridge and fired it directly into his mouth.

Zane raised his eyebrows and smiled 'That's the only way to respect a can of squirty cream' he replied. Cole choked at his reply and his unsuccessful attempt to hold in the mouthful of aerated cream, had him running to the sink.

Jay was laughing like a drain and Nya went over to pat Coles back.

They all sat at the table, Cole having finally dumped a stack of plates and cutlery in the middle. Zane cut through the sugary drizzle that had crusted over the top of the cake 'The cake has been cut; I call this meeting to order. We have two major points of business. First, Cole and Myself were unsuccessful in finding Lloyd and Harumi. Lloyd is now a fugitive and has waved all rights to his freedom. When found and if he can be caught, he will be arrested'

'I don't like it' said Jay 'we don't know what's really going on yet. Innocent until proven guilty and all that?' he offered a weak smile.

The team gave him a withering look 'Jay, no matter the circumstance. Lloyd has broken Harumi out of jail. Of that he is guilty' Zane pointed out.

'I know! I know... But the cops won't be able to catch him, I mean come on, it's never gonna happen'

'Perhaps' replied Zane 'but we operate within the law and if we find him, then we must turn him over for trial'

'Then we don't find him' Jay blurted out.

'Jay!' Nya replied astonished 'You're happy to have Harumi free?'

'No, of course not. But if she's with Lloyd, he's not going to let her do anything... evil!'

'You may have a point' Cole replied 'Even that weasel of a Prison Chief admitted they could not guard against ninja attacks and if somebody is trying to free Harumi, its only a matter of time. If she is with Lloyd, he is acting as her jailor and hopefully her conscience'

Zane continued 'Second point of business. Nya. I am aware we have not been able to address finding Kai'

'Thanks' Zane. I'm beside myself. But this shadow ninja could tell us what we need. She didn't lead us to the settlement but she was heading in that direction. I still think that's where he is'

'If that's the case, then we have a pretty good bargaining chip to cash in; we might be able to force an exchange' said Zane 'I would suggest we use this break to refuel, and move forward with this task. Lloyd is now on his own'

'Uh, hold on' Jay cut in 'Lloyd is not on his own; he's still one of us. We can't just desert him. How do we know that Harumi hasn't been using him; grooming him, to break her out of jail? He could be in serious danger'

'That is also a possibility' said Nya 'and I'm more inclined to believe this of Harumi than anything else'

'So what do we do guys? Ignore the problem so we don't have to hand him over to the cops? Or find him and make sure he's not heading to his doom?'

'We need a loophole' Cole said 'something that won't force our hands against him, but will appease our conscience'

'I have the perfect thing' Zane said 'Jay, can you help me repair my companion?'

'Your eagle?' Jays' eyes sparked with excitement 'Yes, yes I can'

'It will be our impartial observer. It will find them, watch them and relay information back to us. We will not become involved, unless we must. This is the best I can offer'

'I love it! It's perfect! Jay said with excitement 'I mean, in all seriousness, it's a great plan Zane. Thank you'

'Well all right then. Who wants cake?' All hands shot up and Zane served out a generous slice to each.