***Another Miranda Lambert song ;) I think she and Seliel might have the same kinds of ideas.

One chapter and an epilogue left after this, guys. Whoo-hoo!***

***(Cole's POV)***

I drive back to the monastery lost in my thoughts. Seliel is really taking the whole leg injury thing hard. I get that she's self-sufficient and all, but it's not like we can just let her leg stay healed wrong. That would lead to a host of other problems later in life.

I just don't like her being upset and all alone. She beats herself up pretty bad.

I hear my phone ring next to me, and with one hand on the wheel, I grab it out of my bag. It looks like Jay is on the line.

I pick up, pressing the device to my ear. "Hey, buddy. What's up?"

"The sky."

"Har-har." I roll my eyes. But then, it's good to hear Jay joking again. I think meeting up with his birth father was a positive experience.

Jay sighs. "Okay, but seriously, we didn't find anything on Nya. It's like she circled Cliff's name on the newspaper just to throw us off." He pauses. "Now that I think about it, that kind of makes sense."

"Of course, it does." I run a hand through my hair. "Nya obviously didn't want to be found yesterday, and so she threw us off her trail. That means we're back to ground zero."

"Yeah." Jay's tone is worried. "She said she'd be back by tomorrow in her note. I just hope she's able to come back."

"And if she's not, then we're scouring the city until we find her."

"Yeah." He exhales. "We know that she can't be going after any of those job opportunities if she'll be back by tomorrow, so chances are, she's just hiding out in Ninjago City. The question is, where? Do you really think she'd just hide out in a dumpster or something? That's not Nya's style. She's more intentional than that. And she can't be at a homeless shelter or something – she'd be afraid of the police recognizing her. So she's either in an abandoned building somewhere around here, or she's hiding with someone who can cover her tracks. But who does she know besides the team? There's Skylor, but if she showed up at Skylor's house, she would probably get her butt kicked for running away. And you know Skylor would rat her out – she's basically Nya's motherly older sister. But what about – "

"Jay, that's way too much information for me to process." I shake my head. "Can we talk about this when we get back to the monastery? I have a lot on my mind right now, and I don't know that I'm going to be very useful in helping find Nya at the moment."

"Everything okay?"

I smile just slightly. Jay's doing a little better – he's asking me how I'm feeling for once. "I'm okay, but Seliel kind of had a breakdown after our trip to the doctor's office. She's similar to Nya in that she thinks her worth is found in what she does, not who she is. And she's been taking care of herself for the past six years of her life, so she isn't used to depending on others for help. That includes us."

"Huh. Yeah, it'd probably really help her to talk to Nya, if she were around. I mean, those two could really connect on..." He trails off.

"Why'd you stop?" I frown. "You had a good thought there."

"Um, well, I might've had a better one." His voice gains in speed. "Cole, you know where the last place we'd look for Nya would be?!"

"The monastery?"

"Well, yeah, but away from there. I mean, this is kind of a crazy idea, but...how often does Seliel mention Nya? They only met once."

I shrug. "Not much. She mostly just says that Nya doesn't like her."

"But does she say that kind of stuff often? I mean, she and Nya met once."

"Yes. And?"

"What if Nya is staying with someone we would never guess her to stay with?"

"I'm sure she is, unless she's in an abandoned building." This just isn't making sense to me.

"Yeah, but like, who wouldn't we guess Nya would stay with? Someone she doesn't like!"

"If Nya doesn't like someone, it's usually because they're evil. Take Harumi, for example." I furrow my forehead. "But she didn't like Seliel, after what happened yesterday..."

"Exactly! So what if Nya's staying with her?"

I roll my eyes. "Next idea, please."

"What's so wrong with that one?"

"Seliel would tell me if Nya asked to stay with her. She's on my side." Well, not with the leg injury, but with everything else.

"Okay, okay, okay. But what if she theoretically didn't tell you? Look at the evidence! Nya's most likely staying with someone she knows, and it's not the team or Skylor. Who else is Nya even acquainted with who's not evil?!"

"Didn't Kai say they had an aunt or something?"

"Who lives in Ignacia," Jay says, exasperated. "Who else does Nya know, or at least have some sort of connection to, who's in Ninjago City?"

"Your parents, my dad, Principal Mystaké. Your birth dad, apparently. And we've already checked with all of them – well, all except Mystaké. We should probably check up with her, just in – "

"She also has a connection with Seliel, though! And we wouldn't think Nya would be anywhere around her, right? And if Seliel's been bringing up Nya in conversation at weird times, maybe it means they have some sort of alliance!"

"Jay, you're letting your imagination get the best of you." I park in front of the monastery. "There are a lot of 'if's' in your theory."

"We should still test it out. Come on, just you and me? We could totally visit with your girlfriend or whatever and see if anything turns up. If not, then we know for sure one place where Nya isn't."

I run a hand through my hair. "Sel kind of seemed like she wanted to be alone right now. I don't know that it's – "

"Hold that thought, Cole. Lloyd's calling me, so I'll set up a conference call." Jay's tone is annoyed.

Yeah, he really doesn't like Lloyd anymore.

Lloyd's voice comes over the phone. "Jay, you there?"

"Yes," he growls. "And Cole, too. Now, what do you want?"

"We have a problem. A new criminal – very new – who calls himself The Mechanic robbed the Ninjago City Bank three hours ago, and the police have called us in to check things out. Can you meet Kai and me at the bank in half an hour?" Ever since we contacted the commissioner of the police force with information regarding the Sons of Garmadon, we've kind of been working with the Ninjago City Police. I'm pretty sure that's illegal, especially since Lloyd and Nya are still minors, but we're not complaining.

"We're on it," I reply.

Jay butts in. "But Nya – "

"It'll have to wait, buddy. Your idea doesn't have enough evidence yet for us to take it as seriously as a bank robbery."

He sighs. "Fine. I'll be out of the monastery in a minute. You and I can ride together."

"Good plan." I hop out of Jay's car and climb into the earth drill.

Jay's nuts if he thinks Nya's staying with Seliel. He's just telling himself that to help ease his conscience or something.

***(Seliel's POV)***

"Hello, Seliel," my father spits.

I typically wouldn't engage my father, but the malice I see in his eyes reminds me of every time he's ever raised a fist at me.

It puts me on the offensive.

I snarl at the man in front of me. "What do you want?" I spit.

"Aww. Now, is that any way to greet your old pops?"

I stand up to my full height, which is only a few inches shorter than his. "It sure is," I growl. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping by to see how my lovely daughter is doing." He raises one lanky arm up to punch.

I laugh at his puny efforts, pushing him away. "I'm stronger than when you last tried this. It's not going to work on me now. So why don't you just leave before I make a laughingstock out of you?"

His grin is catlike. "Oh, baby, I'm stronger than when you last saw me, too." He raises his other arm in the air, and I do a doubletake.

It's...made of metal.

"What happened to you?" I swallow, stepping back. My dad's puny muscles are no problem to deal with. But a metal arm? That could be an issue.

He advances on me. "Had a few adjustments made by some friends yesterday. What do you think?"

I force my breathing to stay steady. There has to be a knife or some other weapon around here to use. Or...

Nya!

Maybe he hasn't found her yet. Maybe she's hiding out, and she's about to go full-on ninja kick-butt on this guy!

"You've always been so ashamed of this shabby old place," my father smirks, seemingly reading my mind. "So would you like to tell me why a girl was hiding out in here?"

Well, there goes any hope of him not having discovered Nya.

"W-what did you do to her?" I question, forcing my voice to remain steady.

He hitches a shoulder. "This metal arm is good for more than one thing. Wanna test it out?" He aims it at me.

I snatch an old picture – the only one I have of my mother and me – off the nighstand and chuck it at his face. It shatters, glass shards twirling through the air.

My father curses at the pain of several craggly pieces slicing into his face. "You little – "

Suddenly, I'm enveloped by violent heat that won't let go. I fall back against the floor.

I groan as the pain stops, and I open my eyes to see my father smirking down at me.

"The taser function on this thing" – he taps his arm – "is quickly becoming my favorite. Get up." He kicks my side.

I struggle to do as he says. No way do I want to experience whatever that energy was again.

He roughly shoves me against the wall, grabbing a roll of duct tape and tightly wrapping a long piece around my wrists. He places one over my mouth – not that screaming does any good in this neighborhood – and binds my ankles, as well.

His metal hand grabs me by the shirt collar, the cool steel causing me to shiver. He drags me toward a kitchen chair. "Sit down."

He roughly drops me in one of the wooden chairs, causing it to creak.

I catch my breath. Okay, so the metal arm is new. But I know there still has to be some way out of this situation.

He thrusts a piece of paper and a pencil toward me. "You're going to write a suicide letter."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Write a suicide letter," he repeats, his tone hard. "Make it out to that friend of yours who was here, or to Eve. Or to that kid who dropped you off."

Cole. His name is Cole.

"I said, start writing!" He aims his arm at me.

I quickly grab the pencil and begin scribbling on the sheet of paper.

Dear Cole...

I spit against my duct tape as the gravity of the situation sinks in. My dad's arm powers up for another blast, but I rush to speak first.

"Wait. I – I won't scream. Just...you plan to kill me?"

"I guess I was going to have to remove the duct tape anyway," he grumbles, pulling it the rest of the way off my mouth. "Yes, I plan to kill you."

Well, it wouldn't be the first time he's tried that. This time, however...it seems so much worse. This time, I have more to live for. I have friends – well, I only have three, but still – and I have hope for a better future. I don't want to die!

My father grabs a plastic bag full of pill bottles. "You're going to overdose on medicine."

I raise an eyebrow. "I don't have enough money to keep medicine around, stupid. My friends are never going to believe I had all these pills just laying around."

"Don't call me stupid!" my father snaps. His metal fist bangs against the table. "Maybe you stole them."

"Like I'd stoop to your levels to get drugs," I scoff.

My father snatches my shirt collar. "Seliel, start chewing pills and writing now, or your death won't be as pretty as a suicide."

I swallow. Hard.

My father has lost too many brain cells to realize that killing me violently would definitely make him look guilty.

I watch as my father reaches into the bag, withdrawing a bottle of sleeping pills. He pulls out three and forces them past my lips.

"Start writing," he bids me, shaking a few more bottles out of the plastic bag.

I swallow hard. "Can't I have some water or something to take all these pills with?"

"I said, get writing!" He blasts the table with power from his arm, creating a giant burnt spot in one corner.

My eyes bug, and I begin scribbling on the paper again.

Dear Cole,

Life kind of stinks right now. You know that, but you also know I'd never kill myself, so you'll understand that I'm being forced to write this letter right –

My dad cracks me across the face with his steel arm, and I see stars.

My hand comes up to touch my cheek as the pain fully registers. "Oww!" I bite out, glaring at my father.

"Write something serious," he snaps.

"But – "

"Write something serious!" He shoves a few more pills at me.

I look down at his palm. "What are those?"

"I don't know! I don't care! Painkillers, anxiety meds."

"Is this the stuff you try to get high off of?!"

"Seliel!" he shrieks. "Just swallow them!"

Holding back tears, I force myself to swallow what he shoves into my mouth.

Okay, five pills so far. That's not so bad.

"Start writing again," he growls.

I take a deep breath and start on a new sheet of paper.

Dear Cole,

You're the best friend I could ever have asked for. I think we might have something really special, you know? And I'm sorry I've been such a butt to you today. You deserve better than that.

I'm also sorry I kept Nya's whereabouts a secret from you. See, she's actually been here the whole time, but I think my evil father kidnapped –

His hand cracks across my face again. "Don't talk about me!"

"What else do you want me to say?!"

"That you've lived a stupid, worthless life, and you have nothing left worth living for. Maybe put down that you've never had anything to live for in the first place!"

***Music Cue***

There's a crash from the utility closet, and my head swivels toward the sound.

Nya blasts my father with a stream of water, causing his chair to flip over. He cries out in surprise.

"You're going to be the one with nothing left living for when I'm done with you!" she exclaims, running toward his flailing form and pinning him to the ground. He powers up his arm, and she topples backwards to get away from him.

I use the free moment to jump out of my seat and hop over to the faucet, slipping on the floor once or twice. Once I finally reach the sink, I run my duct tape binds under the stream of water, trying desperately to get them off.

"You could've saved us a lot of grief by telling me your dad has a technologically advanced metal arm," Nya bites out, shooting water at him again.

This mobile home is not going to survive tonight.

"I didn't know he had a metal arm!" I shout, finally getting my hands undone. "What happened to you?"

"I was ready to go full-on commando on him when he got here, but the metal arm threw me off. Long story short, he knocked me out and thought stuffing me in the closet would keep me out of the way for a few hours."

"He knocked you out? I thought you were supposed to be a ninja! You should expect the unexpected!"

A ball of fire shoots out of my dad's hand, landing on the counter next to me. I squeal, flipping over as I finish pulling my feet out of their duct tape binds. "Who the heck gave my volatile father this kind of weaponry?!"

Nya puts out the fire he caused with another blast of water. "No idea! Sel, get out of here and see if anyone's called the police yet! Tell them that we need the team in on this, because your father is actually a nutjob!" She dives behind a table as my father shoots at her.

"On it," I yell, unlocking my trailer door and running outside. My elderly neighbors are at the end of my walkway, staring at me with wide eyes.

"What's going on?" the older man asks.

I take a deep breath. "My dad's gone nutzo, he's got crazy weaponry, and I need to borrow a phone."

He pulls out his device for me, and I call up the police. I just hope somebody gets here soon.

I personally am feeling a little woozy from the pills I took, but I'm not going to let that stop me from helping Nya. If I can just get back inside and use some of my father's tech against him...

I hand the couple back their cell phone and rush to the next-door neighbor's yard, snatching a giant decorative rock out of it. It takes a lot of strength, but I lug it back over to my mobile home and smash it against my bedroom window.

The glass shatters.

I hoist myself up and grunt in pain as bits of glass pierce and scrape against my skin, but I manage to push myself through and emerge on the inside of the trailer.

Where I see Nya fly backwards as my father uses some super strength ability to shove her out of his way. She grits her teeth as she hits the floor, sliding into the wall. Even as she does, though, she blasts him with more water.

I dive under the stream, pain shooting up my leg. But I have to reach the tech stash under my father's bed. It's the only way to stop him.

I have no idea how to use most of this stuff, but I'm about to find out.

"Stand down!" I yell, grabbing what appears to be some sort of electrified gun. I aim it at him.

Shooting a gun is something Cole taught me when I left Ninjago City with my dad. I guess it's just now coming in handy.

My dad doesn't even pay attention, continuing to try to get to Nya as she drenches him with water.

I cock the weapon. "Stand down!" I force myself to stay focused on the problem at hand, even though my mind feels a little fuzzy.

He manages to shock Nya, temporarily immobilizing her. That's when he looks over at me.

"Or what?" he chuckles. "You're going to shoot me? I don't believe that. You've never been strong enough for it before. You weren't strong enough back in February, were you? You let me chase you with a knife."

"I did not," I insist. I gulp, advancing towards him.

"Yes, you did. You could've defended yourself, could've found a way. But you didn't. And do you want to know why? Because deep down, you knew I was right to be after you. Deep down, you knew that you really were just worthless. No one would care if you were dead, because no one loves – "

His words suddenly halt, and he crumples. I look up, wide-eyed.

Nya stands over him, holding one of the kitchen chairs. She pants, looking first down at her handiwork, and then at me.

"Got anything to tie him up with?" she asks breathlessly.

I nod numbly, tossing the gun to the side. "Are you okay?" I wince at the pain in my left leg as I move. But I know the damage is worse than what I'm feeling right now – pretty soon, I'm going to be spaced-out or drooling. Stupid meds.

"I'm fine," Nya replies. "You look a little banged up."

"So do you, and you said you're okay." I grab the sheets off my bed and begin to twist them into a makeshift rope.

"How many pills did he make you swallow?" Nya inquires. "I came in a little late to that situation." She comes to my side to help me, keeping one eye on my father.

"Seven," I answer. "Three sleeping pills, and the other four were painkillers and anxiety meds."

"We'll get you checked out, but I think you'll be fine. What about your leg? You're limping."

"I was going to have to have surgery on it anyway. What's a little more damage?" I sit down on my bed, letting Nya finish making my father's binds. I feel too sleepy to be much good for anything anymore, now that the adrenaline's wearing off and the medicine is taking full effect.

Nya closes her eyes, sighing. "Kai's going to kill me."

***What do you all think the aftermath in next chapter will be like?***