Harumi knew what it was like to be watched. She'd spent ten years of her life in the spotlight, with her face plastered on various magazines and books and news clippings. When your life was a flaming torch for the crowds that lusted after a good story, you suddenly felt like there were always eyes on you. Even when you were alone, having bashed every hidden camera into a pulp. Someone was watching. Someone was always watching.

     There were two choices, of course. You could run from it, be insecure all the time, and try to wait until you were super, super alone to be yourself. Or you could embrace it and wear the mask 24/7.

     She'd been eleven when the first private photos of her were leaked.

     She'd been fourteen when the internet started shipping her with others, from famous boys her age to men from her adopted father's generation.

     She'd been eighteen when she'd had to spill blood in order to escape it.

     Harumi, even a year after those troubling times, knew when someone was watching her. She was sitting in her Biochemistry class, surrounded by bottles and books and nobs. Her table partner was deep into her BorgPhone, muttering to herself as she texted her friends. Harumi could feel someone's eyes on her back, and subconsciously her hands went to the single dagger she kept hidden underneath her faded hoodie. She would find the starer, and she would make them pay.

     She caught his eyes in one of her glass bottle's reflections.

     He had dark skin, white hair, and piercing blue eyes. The minute their gazes caught he looked away, rubbing the back of his neck as he stared down at his book. Anyone else would take him for an awkward idiot who had a crush on them. But Harumi continued to watch him methodically take notes, mentally noting the age in his face.

     The boy was no sophomore.

     He had to be a graduate.

     I have a friend who goes to DNU; his name is Zane...

     Harumi seethed silently, clutching her pencil so hard it snapped.

     Kai.

     She had an hour before she had to go over to the Mayasons' house to babysit Lloyd. That was enough time to raid the internet and find some dirt on Kai. She absolutely hated the internet, but knowledge was power. And if Kai was stalking her, then she needed as much power as she could get. She could waste time feeling guilty about it later.

     The bell rang, and the students filed out of the classroom.

     She was halfway to the school's library when he stopped her.

     "Ru, we need to talk."

     Harumi paused, confused. She was expecting Zane to have followed her, but this wasn't Z—

     "Ro?" she gasped, utterly confused as to why he was in her school. Ro had a scheduled shifts all day today; there was no way he could be right here, right now.

     "Ru, come on," Ro pleaded, holding out his biking helmet towards her, "we need to talk now."

     "I have babysitting in an hour. I don't have time to 'talk,'" Harumi said.

     "It's about the deal."

     Ten minutes later, they were gathered around their tiny dining room table, shoving half-rotted apples into their mouths as they spoke.

     "You're supposed to be at the motorbike shop," Harumi said pointedly.

     "They let me off to talk to you," Ro replied, clenching and unclenching his fists as he stared at the table. "You know how our deal works, right?"

     "You shelter me until I finish college, then I use my newfound good job to drag us both out of this part of town."

     "Yes," Ro confirmed. He swallowed his bite of apple, hesitating. "I've been talking to some of my coworkers, and they got me an audience with these guys. They—those guys—told me a way I could earn five hundred thousand dollars fast. If I do this job, then we could not just get out of downtown—"

      "I could pay off my tuition." Harumi practically choked on her apple. She stared up expectantly at her brawny flatmate, who was running a greasy hand through his dark hair. "What's the job?"

     Ro paled considerably. "They want the Ninja."

     What? was Harumi's first thought, but then she realized what was going on. Some shifty people lived in the dregs, and some of the most malevolent ones worked at the motorbike store. Rumor had it that the employees ran the place for a biker gang that caused trouble near the center of the city. Ro was big enough where people wouldn't bully him, but that didn't mean his job at the motorbike shop was a safe one. These people he'd gotten in contact with, they were probably part of the gang. Everyone knew pretty much anyone who stirred up trouble in Ninjago City hated the Ninja. Ro's employers probably wanted her and Ro to not just find the Ninja, but kill them as well.

     "They don't want us to kill them," Ro said, as if he was reading her mind. "They want them alive and in bonds. No other questions asked. Once we give them all the Ninja, they'll give us the money."

     "Why didn't you ask for half of it now and half of it later?" Harumi asked quietly.

     "Their leaders, at least... one of their leaders could probably flatten me by stepping on me. I didn't think it was wise to ask questions."

     He'd stopped chewing on his apple, fingering what was left as he turned the fruit around in circles. Harumi watched him, tempted to do the same.

     "I'd rather kill them," she said.

     "I know."

      The silence was unbearable. Ro was good about not asking questions, but Harumi couldn't deny there were times in her life when she wished he would. He trusted her enough to share this deal with her. Why couldn't she trust him with her past?

      Because her past was cold and cruel, brutally unshakeable. Harumi knew she only wanted Ro to pry so she could have the satisfaction of shoving him off. Because never, never in a million years would she ever tell anyone what happened to her. Telling someone meant facing it, and Harumi wasn't about to go through that pain again.

     "We have two weeks," Ro's husky voice broke the silence. "If the Ninja aren't in their hands by then, then I lose my job."

     "Wait a second—"

     "It was either that or join their twisted biker gang, and I'm not looking to be sent to Kryptarium anytime soon." Ro finally met her eyes, and Harumi stiffened. It wasn't just an offer, then. Ro was forced to put everything on the line for this opportunity. Because if Ro wasn't working three jobs, then they wouldn't be able to scrape enough money to feed themselves, get running water, or keep the lights on. The dregs were tight with the less fortunate, and jobs were too hard to find. If Ro and Ru didn't capture the Ninja in the next two weeks, then they would starve to death before Ro could possibly find another source of income.

     Harumi's breath caught when Ro touched her wrist. "Ru Wiggins, will you help me catch the Ninja?"

     Ru thought of the stakes, and she thought of those multicolored brats who she'd wish death upon any day. It would be hard, yes, but not impossible. Besides, it was kind of hard to say no now.

     "Count me in," she said.