A clear night sky shone over the dark skyline of New York City. It was summertime, but on this night there was an unnatural chill in the air. The moon and a myriad stars shone brightly in the black sky, but they offered no warmth to the lone figure that sprinted across the rooftops. Raphael either didn't notice the cold or didn't care. He had other things to think about - like searching for Karai. Ever since her mutation, she had fled into hiding, evading friend and foe alike. Last time the turtles had encountered her, however, she had given them one clue to her whereabouts.
"Comet…" Raph muttered under his breath. Whatever did that mean? It had been several weeks since Karai had given them that clue, but no one as of yet had figured out what she had meant - and as of now, she was nowhere to be found. In the meantime, the turtles, Splinter, April, and Casey had settled in an abandoned Antonio's Pizzeria. Sure, it was a clever way to hide from the Kraang droids (and the entire mind-wiped Earth Protection Force) who patrolled the streets, but that didn't make it any less claustrophobic, in Raph's opinion. That was the other reason he went out so much, aside from looking for Karai: he just wanted some elbow room. Most of the time, Leonardo insisted on accompanying him; but every so often, Raph managed to sneak out without his older brother. He knew Leo was just worried about their sister, but Raphael preferred going solo. Running alone in the cold night air gave him space to clear his mind.
Whenever Raph tired of hurdling rooftops, he would sit on the ledge of a building and scan the bleak skyline with a spyglass, silently watching for a hint of movement, a glint of light, any sign of life in this virtual necropolis - well, not necropolis per se, as not everyone was actually dead; it was more like everyone was just gone. New York, the city which never slept, had been reduced to a state of perpetual slumber. The only population that seemed somewhat unaffected by the Kraang takeover was that of the pigeons, who still inhabited a few of the rooftops like the one on which Raphael now stopped to catch his breath. He gave a wan smile and patted one bird on the head as he sat down on the edge of the roof. Raph was grateful that at least some of the little creatures survived. It was probably because they could fly out of the range of even the Kraang blasters - not that the aliens ever had good aim to begin with, he thought dryly as he gazed out over the city. There were many nights when Raph would sit for hours, waiting in vain for a glimpse of Karai in this endless expanse of concrete and steel.
However, there were other nights, like tonight, when Raphael would spot with his telescope periodic flashes of blue-green light, like fireflies glowing in the dark city. Raph knew exactly what they were. Sometimes, when all was very quiet (well, quieter than usual), one of the handful of humans who had escaped the initial mass-mutation of New York would venture out of hiding, scouring in vain for food, water, maybe a breath of freedom, but not one ever succeeded. Within minutes, the human would be surrounded by Kraang. One soldier would raise its mutagen gun, there would be flash of that green light, and then it would be over: yet another sick mutant-zombie had been created. Raph had seen it many times before, whenever the mutation happened to occur within the view of his telescope. Mostly, however, Raph only saw the light; he was grateful for that. He had grown used to seeing those flashes of light as he sat vigil over the skyline of New York, but that didn't make him hate it any less.
A familiar flame of anger flared in Raph's chest as he spotted another freakish flash of mutagen, and the mutation of yet another human who had dared to come out of hiding. The fool! Raph gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the spyglass, resisting the urge to punch the nearest object. He felt so helpless up here, watching the survivors practically throw their humanity away in exchange for a bit of fresh air in this grave of fireflies. The impulse to leap off the roof and bash some Kraang heads together was almost irresistible - but Raph knew it was pointless. Attacking would just alert the attention of more Kraang, and he was not looking for the next mutation, thank you very much. And forget trying to save whoever was getting mutated: he would only know of their presence by the glow of mutagen in the night, and by then it was already too late. Raph grew even angrier just thinking about it.
When yet another flash of light appeared close nearby, Raph decided that he had had enough. He raised the telescope above his head to cast it away in helpless frustration. However, Raph halted, his arm poised to throw. That light was different; all the others had been brief but steady spots of green which brightly burned for a moment but then died away quickly, like an old lightbulb in its last moments of life. Rather, a faint pink light flickered and blinked in the darkness, accompanied by a sound which would have been inaudible but for the deathly silence in the rest of the city: the sound of gunfire. The Kraang had encountered something, or someone, who refused to go down without a fight. His interest peaked, Raph stood up, slammed the spyglass shut, and shoved it inside his belt; no way was he going to let them fight alone.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! Raph's conscience berated him as he dashed across the rooftops toward the pink light. They're too far away; you'll never get there in time! Why are you trying to play the hero, anyway? It will all be for naught. You know what Leonardo said: it's a practical death sentence to fight alone on the Kraang-ridden streets!
But I won't be alone, Raph shot back. There's someone out there who's fighting back, and I'm going to help. Maybe I can protect them. Maybe - just maybe - out of all those people who were mutated while all I could do was sit and watch - maybe, just this once, somebody lives. Please, Raph begged the sky. Just let this one person live.