The Golden Goose

by LuckyLadybug

Twoshot. My Exit the Fly verse, 1987 series. Krang's attempt to use an alien golden goose statue to bring Earth to its knees backfires tremendously and tragically on everyone involved, including the Turtles.

1. Chapter 1

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 1987

The Golden Goose

By Lucky_Ladybug

Notes: The characters are not mine and the story, although based on the classic DuckTales two-parter, is mine! This is part of my Exit the Fly verse. Baxter is human and an ally of the Turtles. His brother Barney works for Shredder.

Part One

Krang's wild, gurgling laughter had been ringing through the Technodrome ever since the group had returned following the incident involving the alien crown at Channel 6. And with many of the giggles and cackles came flashes of golden light and the transformations of assorted junk into the precious metal. Krang was testing the strange golden goose that Bebop and Rocksteady had brought back from the mysterious alien spaceship in the ground. And testing, and testing. He couldn't seem to get enough of it.

"Krang!" Shredder finally said in exasperation. "If you don't look out, you're going to turn the entire Technodrome into gold and us along with it!"

Krang glowered at Shredder for interrupting his fun. "At least then you'd have some value," he retorted.

"Gee, everything sure looks pretty," said Bebop as he admired the glistening walls, spare parts, and even Foot Soldiers. "But uh, how is this gonna help us bring the world to its' knees?"

"Yeah!" Rocksteady chimed in. "Are we gonna use all this gold to buy the world?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Krang snapped. "We're going to use this golden goose to turn Earth's most revered buildings and important resources into gold. We'll leave the people destitute and desperate so that they'll have to accept our rule to get us to change everything back."

"Can we change it back?" Shredder looked doubtful.

"Of course," Krang shot back. "Once we get the antidote on the alien ship. It wouldn't be much fun ruling a golden world, after all. But there's no hurry to get it right away. Let's get everyone frightened out of their wits first."

"What if they don't accept your rule?" Barney spoke.

"Then they will suffer for it," Krang retorted. "But we'll get into that later."

"Why not now, Krang?" Shredder countered. "In fact, why don't you tell us the whole story behind this ugly duckling's mysterious ability? It's like a philosopher's stone or something."

"How do you know it isn't?" Krang grunted. "It was developed by the alien race that crashed in that spaceship. They were highly intelligent geese warlords and scientists."

"So that Vernon guy got possessed by a goose?" Bebop snarked.

"Considering all that he was doing, I wouldn't find it a laughing matter," said Barney. "But nor would I call it a possession."

"And these geese conquered worlds by going about things as you're planning to do?" Shredder asked Krang.

"Something like that," Krang scowled, seeming very vague indeed. "Now, I want Bebop and Rocksteady to go to the surface and start turning things into gold."

"Oooh! Oooh! Can we turn whatever we want into gold?" Rocksteady exclaimed.

"Whatever you want," Krang agreed. "As long as it's not us or the Technodrome." He handed the goose to Bebop. "You have to say 'Gold' while touching the beak to the object you're targeting for it to work."

"Say 'Gold,'" Bebop echoed, just as he accidentally touched the goose's beak to one of his wrist bands. In a flash, it was solid gold. "Whoops." He stared at it with goggle-eyed interest. "Hey, this is pretty neat!"

"If you hadn't been wearing that, you'd be gold now, you idiot," Krang snapped. "Barney, go with them and try to keep them from fouling up."

"I'd be more than happy to," Barney said with gleaming eyes. "I'd like to study this phenomenon and try to determine how it came to pass. Alchemists tried and failed for centuries to create the philosopher's stone."

"Why send him along?" Shredder groused. "He didn't defeat our enemies either."

"By that logic, I most certainly shouldn't send you," Krang retorted. "Besides, I want you here to help me monitor things."

Shredder stamped his foot. "You don't need me here to monitor things! You just don't want me to have any fun!"

"You know, we've dealt with children that weren't as childish as you," said Krang.

Barney smirked as he headed for a transport module with Bebop and Rocksteady. Ever since Shredder had turned against him, he found it delicious any time Krang put the man in his place. And at times like this, the term 'man' was used loosely.

He didn't bother to remember that he himself threw fits every bit as childish.

xxxx

"Boy, that was some adventure we just had, wasn't it?"

Leonardo glanced at Raphael while driving the Turtle Van through the darkened New York streets. "That's putting it mildly," he shot back. "I bet Vernon won't sleep for a week."

"I bet Baxter will," Michelangelo said. "He looked mondo exhausted when he stumbled out of Channel 6 to go home."

"Sleep is something we could all use right now," Raphael said firmly.

"No arguments there," said Leonardo. "I wonder what's going to happen to that alien room."

"And what else might be down there," Donatello added.

"We probably won't get much of a look now that the military's involved," Leonardo sighed. "I just hope they can handle it."

"Hey, they've been dealing with aliens a lot longer than we have," Raphael pointed out.

"But we've been dealing with a lot of mondo weird stuff lately in general," Michelangelo said. "And whenever we get downtime, it seems like Donatello just wants to work on figuring out that mysteriouso thing we brought back from the Floxy Theatre."

"Well, we should know what it is," Donatello defended.

"Sure, Dude, but can't you ever take time out when it doesn't involve even more technology and junk?" Michelangelo pleaded. "Why don't we all do something fun together before something else goes wrong?"

"Sounds great to me," said Raphael. "Who's up for a cruise to the Caribbean?"

"It wouldn't have to be that extravagant," Leonardo smiled. "But Michelangelo has a great point. We should plan a day to just enjoy being together. Just us and Master Splinter."

Michelangelo nodded. "No inventions, no bizarro spaceships, no Shredder causing trouble." He looked to Donatello. "What do you say, Donatello? Just one day off?"

"Well . . ." Donatello inwardly sighed. He really was anxious to keep uncovering the technological mysteries they were running into lately. But a day with everyone where nothing happened to ruin it did sound nice. "Okay," he smiled. "I'll take tomorrow off."

"Yes!" Michelangelo cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "You won't regret it, Dude."

I hope not, Donatello thought to himself.

xxxx

"Baxter? . . . Baxter, old buddy, wait. Don't forget me."

Baxter started awake in his darkened bedroom and flew upright, his already-wild hair swooping forward against his face with the motion. For a moment he was lost in the mixture of dreams and memories left behind in his sleep state. Then, groaning, he slumped forward and rubbed at his eyes with his fingers.

He still found it strangely ironic that until recently, his only real friend in his life had been a computer. He had been most unimpressed by artificial intelligence before his transformation. Afterwards, he really hadn't been choosey. The computer had wanted to help him get what he wanted, and in his crazed state, that had been revenge. It had been patient with him no matter how his humanity had failed and Baxter had relied on it as his only friend . . . and his only source of intelligence at all, when his had begun to fail him. Having to have a computer think for him . . . what a disgrace.

Baxter wasn't even sure what had happened to it. He knew it had been on the Technodrome last, and the console it had been plugged into had exploded when Donatello had destroyed the screen, but did that mean the motherboard had died in the explosion?

No . . . no, it didn't. Motherboards didn't die. Not in the same way living things did, anyway.

It had seemed so alive, though. Maybe that was just his perspective from being half-fly and he wouldn't still think so as a complete human, but he had to wonder.

He had let it down in the end, hadn't he? He vaguely remembered flying off and leaving the communicator in the amusement park. That had been the last time he had even interacted with the computer, although it had tried to help him when the Turtles had prodded him back to the Technodrome. Then it had been supposedly destroyed and Baxter had ended up in another dimension until that fateful final time he had broke free and gone after the Turtles with Shredder's retro-mutagen ray gun.

He really had fallen far by that last time. He hadn't known the retro-mutagen ray gun had even existed until his last moments aboard the Technodrome during the second-to-last revenge trip. His attempt to get it for himself had failed. By the final time, he had stolen the rebuilt version not even thinking of using it on himself, but instead wanting to de-mutate the Turtles with it. And then Leonardo had managed to get him blasted with it, turning him human again at long last. . . .

He sighed and slumped back into the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. Without the computer, he had been all alone on that final stretch in the other dimension and almost any remaining scraps of humanity he'd had left had faded away. It was amazing that he was as human and as sane as he was now, with only arachnophobia and sugar cravings as aftereffects.

"I'm sorry," he whispered aloud, and then scowled to realize he was addressing the computer. He hadn't been there to save it that last time. It hadn't called out to him as it had after the prior explosion that had left only the motherboard. It couldn't have; it was gone. And Baxter found himself feeling guilty and sad about that no matter how he tried to tell himself it hadn't really been alive.

He threw the covers over his head, willing the memories and the feelings to go away and let him sleep. But they did not seem about to cooperate. For some reason, the calamities of that night had brought the past to the forefront of his mind again. Maybe it had been in telling Vernon that he knew what it was like to have something trying to take over his body and mind. Now he couldn't push the memories of that time aside long enough to even get a decent sleep. According to the clock, he couldn't have slept for more than an hour.

He sat up again in exasperation. He had thought about the computer before; it would be impossible not to. But he had tried to be logical and tell himself that he couldn't think of something inanimate as a real friend. By trying to help him with his revenge, it had shown that its lack of humanity kept it from realizing that encouraging someone on a path of destruction was not something true friends would do. Then again, there were also humans who believed it was the right and honorable thing to do. Maybe the alien culture that the computer had hailed from had believed that too.

Finally he got out of bed and wandered over to the window. He stared out tiredly at the night sky and the towering buildings of the city. "I was half-fly, my only friend was a computer motherboard, and my brother hated everything about me," he muttered. "Not to mention my parents couldn't care less about either of us."

Feeling it was the right thing to do, and hoping maybe they did want to see him, he had eventually tried contacting them without success. He had been dreading a phone call or a letter from them ever since Vernon's report had made the announcement that he had been the giant fly terrorizing New York in the past. And then tonight, Barney had appeared in the Channel 6 studio and made it plain that he had aligned himself with Shredder and Krang. Baxter had tried to keep that fact out of the news before, but now the entire city would know. Their parents hadn't bothered to make contact with him after the report on him, but they might now that this story had gone live.

Then again, maybe they would decide that it was better all around to stay as far away from their bizarrely wayward children as possible. Maybe now they were so mortified that they would wonder how to ever show their faces at their precious social gatherings. And of course, that was the most important thing for them.

Baxter sighed, his shoulders slumping. He had tried to hope and believe that Splinter was right when he had counseled Baxter that his parents likely did care, especially since they had made his trust available to him if he just came back from his mysterious absence. But he was increasingly sure that his assessment was right and they did not. Just as he had tried to push thoughts of the alien computer aside, he needed to push thoughts of his parents aside.

As for Barney, well, he would just have to keep hoping that his brother would decide that he was sick of being bad. He couldn't crowd his brother by trying to keep pushing him to change his mind. And more than likely, he would eventually have to fight his brother. He had already really started on that when he had been forced to go up against Barney's retooled version of Baxter's spider robot.

Nevermind ridiculous series like The Simpsons, he thought bitterly to himself. A series about our dysfunctional family would make them look like Ozzie and Harriet.

He turned away from the window and shuffled back to bed. He would try again to focus on what he had rather than what he didn't have. His family might be shot, but he had friends. They would become his family. The Turtles and Splinter had proved that it was not necessary to be biologically related to be a family. They had welcomed him in and he was deeply moved.

Part of him wanted to talk to them tonight. But it was late and they were surely able to sleep better than he could. He didn't want to bother them. Times like this would be great for talking to the alien computer. It wouldn't be like talking to another living being, but it had enough artificial intelligence to make the conversation interesting. Certainly it would be better than being alone with his thoughts all night.

He scowled, passing a hand over his eyes. He didn't like to think that he only wanted the computer back as a matter of convenience for him. But could he look at the problem any other way when it wasn't alive and therefore couldn't be a real friend?

. . . Did something have to be alive for that?

He groaned, slumping into the pillow. There would be no rest for a long time tonight. Especially if he kept fighting with himself like this. Part of him still genuinely liked the computer and missed it, and that was the part he was trying to quell. But maybe he should give up and simply accept the truth. He had sneered at the concept of artificial intelligence and had even been downright annoyed by it. But a computer had been his friend and there was really no way to say it hadn't been.

xxxx

Bebop and Rocksteady looked around excitedly as the transport module arrived on the surface and Barney opened the door.

"What should we do first?" Bebop mused.

"I know!" Rocksteady exclaimed. "Let's go turn all the police stations to gold!"

"But then you'll run the risk of the officers catching you," Barney objected. "Anyway, you're thinking too small. Try something monumental, something that will be seen throughout the city and instantly make everyone aware of the power we hold."

"What about the Empire State Building?" Bebop suggested.

"Perfect," Barney smirked.

The trio weaved through the streets toward the landmark in question. As usual, they were not bothered. Bebop and Rocksteady looked big enough and mean enough to keep the other riff-raff away. At least, Barney thought to himself, they were good for something.

When they reached the building, Rocksteady took the goose and headed for the wall with a raucous cackle. "I'm gonna turn it gold!" he chanted, touching the beak to the ediface as he spoke the last word.

Immediately the Empire State Building changed colors.

"Wow, Rocksteady," Bebop said. "Here it is. New York has the most be-au-tiful monument in the country. Probably in the world!"

"Yeah!" Rocksteady grinned, bounding back over to them. "What now?"

"It won't take long for it to be noticed," Barney said. "We'll stay in the shadows and wait for a news crew to arrive. Then we'll patch them through to Krang and Mr. Shredder and they will deliver our ultimatum."

"Okay!" Bebop headed across the street. Rocksteady followed at a slower pace and walked backwards, still admiring the goose's work.

Barney regarded him in exasperation. "Come on, you fool! Someone will see you before they're supposed to!"

Almost as if in response, a blue-gray van turned the corner. Rocksteady leaped headfirst into the shadows to hide. The goose clunked to the ground behind him. Startled, he looked back over his shoulder. "Ooops."

Barney slapped his forehead. "You idiot!"

He was trying to quietly slip out of the shadows and take hold of the goose before he could be seen when the van stopped practically in front of him. He soon discovered, however, that the driver wasn't looking at him or the goose at all.

"Oh me, oh my. What happened to the Empire State Building?! I have to call Miss April. . . ."

Barney watched as the nervous driver fumbled for the two-way radio. "Miss April?" he mused to himself. Yes . . . the van was Channel 6. He smirked. That was too perfect. News of the golden building would be on the news within the half-hour.

"Dr. Stockman? What are you doing here?"

Barney jumped a mile. Then, eyes flashing, he turned back to the driver, who was leaning out of his door in confusion. "I am not the Dr. Stockman you are thinking of!" he fumed. "I'm Dr. Barney Stockman! Barney!"

The other man flinched. "Oh. Of-of course. I'm sorry, M-Mr. Barney, Sir." But then his attention was quickly diverted. "Wow, what's that?!" He got out of the van, diving for the goose at the same moment Barney did. But the driver got it first.

"Put that down!" Barney snapped. "You have no idea of the power you're holding in your hands!"

"It sure is ugly," the driver commented. "A really crabby goose. And it looks like it's made of gold!" He accidentally bumped the beak into the van's antenna as he spoke. In the next instant he was staring at a solid gold van. The goose slipped from his fingers and Barney caught it. "Oh wow. Oh . . . it turned the van to gold! That must be what happened to the Empire State Building too!"

"You catch on quickly," Barney said, his tone dark and cold. "Now, if you don't get back in your golden van and tell 'Miss April' about the golden Empire State Building, you will become its next target. Do I make myself clear?"

The nervous man's eyes widened. But instead of leaving, he frowned and stood his ground. "Say, what gives you the right to boss me around and threaten to turn me to gold?" he demanded. "Did you do that to the Empire State Building?!"

"No, but I know who did!" Barney snapped. "We both work for the same employer, and he has an important message for the city. Are you going to continue wasting time or are you going to get a news crew down here to hear it?"

"I think I'm going to take your goose!" was the reply. "If you're doing things like that, you shouldn't have it!"

That brought Bebop and Rocksteady into the open as well. "Oh yeah?" Rocksteady growled. "Are you gonna go up against us too, pipsqueak?"

"He'd better not, but we are!" came a new voice.

"Hey!" Bebop snorted. "It's the Turtles!" He pulled out his blaster.

"You'd better stand back, Mr. Blodgett," Leonardo advised Channel 6's driver. "This could get messy."

"I-I'd be glad to!" Blodgett exclaimed. He ran back to the van. "But be careful, Turtles! They've got a goose that can turn anything into gold!"

"Yeah, we saw the Empire State Building get a makeover when we were heading home just now," Raphael said, pulling out his sai. "So you've got a cute little goosey-woosey that can do all that for you?"

"That, and more!" Barney sneered.

"Then we'll just have to take it away from you before you can use it!" Leonardo cried.

Donatello lunged with his bo, aiming to knock the goose out of Barney's hands. Instead, Barney leaped aside and touched the beak to the staff. "Gold!"

Donatello's jaw dropped-as well as his arms. "Yipe!" He let go and the solid gold bo clattered to the grund. "It'll take a lot of practice to get used to the new weight load!"

"Mondo bizarro, Dude." Michelangelo stared. "That thing really is dangerous!"

"You're right, Michelangelo," Leonardo said gravely. "I bet it could turn any of us to gold!"

"So we'll stay away from it," Raphael said. He kicked a charging Bebop out of the way.

"We'll try," Leonardo said. "Barney might try to get the drop on us while we're distracted!"

"Oh, Barney wouldn't do that, would he?" Raphael somersaulted to the side, his voice laced with heavy sarcasm. "His brother believes Barney is still good deep down."

"Shut up!" Barney swiped at him with the goose. "Don't talk to me about my brother. Our problems are none of your business!"

"Sure they are," Raphael retorted as he danced away from the deadly beak. "Baxter's our buddy. What concerns him concerns us. A concept that you seem to have overlooked. For shame, Barney."

Michelangelo whipped Rocksteady's blaster away with his nunchucks. "What's the dude doing?!" he worriedly exclaimed.

"He's trying to goad Barney into making a mistake," Leonardo replied. "And knowing Barney's temper, it just might work."

"Or it just might backfire!" Donatello cried.

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Michelangelo declared.

"Oh me, oh my," Blodgett gulped from around the side of the van.

"Yeah, Baxter's always telling us that he's not going to give up on you," Raphael continued. "I usually tell him he's crazy. Sometimes he almost makes me believe it, but then you show up and show us the ugly truth. 'Us,' excluding Baxter, of course. For some unfathomable reason, he still thinks you're worth saving."

"I said shut up!" Barney screamed.

"Hey, watch it," Bebop frowned.

"The boss is gonna be real mad if something goes wrong," Rocksteady added. "And Krang'll be even madder. He was real excited about us finding that goose in the alien room!"

But Barney wasn't listening. "Gold, gold, gold!" he shrieked.

"Raphael!" Michelangelo ran into the fray, his eyes filled with fear.

When Barney held the goose out, Raphael got a sai underneath it and flipped it out of the crazed scientist's hands. "Ha! So much for that. Catch it, Michelangelo!"

Relieved, Michelangelo leaped into the air for the pass. "Touchdown! Turtles ten, bad guys zero!"

"Uh oh," Bebop gulped. "Now what?"

"We retreat," Rocksteady replied. "We'll havta come up with a plan to get it back. We can't try to get it now; we might get turned into gold!"

"Good point," Bebop nodded.

They faded back into the shadows.

Barney barely noticed their departure. He fell to the ground, seething, his eyes flashing with rage and hatred. Raphael stood over him with a satisfied smirk. "And that, gentlemen, is why you should never lose your temper in the middle of a serious battle."

Leonardo folded his arms. "You know why I think you got so angry, Barney?"

"I don't care what you think, Turtle," Barney snapped.

"No, you don't," Leonardo agreed. "But you care what Baxter thinks. You don't like having it rubbed in your face that he still cares about you."

"That's right," Raphael agreed. "Probably because you know that you're slime and that you've treated him like he is."

Barney got to his feet. "Enjoy your victory while it lasts," he said darkly. "It won't be for long." With that he turned and ran after Bebop and Rocksteady.

"Should we go after him?" Michelangelo asked.

"Let him go for now," Leonardo said. "We should get this goose back to the Lair and try to figure out what to do with it."

"I'd be delighted to!" Donatello exclaimed. "Can you imagine what kind of properties it must have to be able to transmute matter into gold?!"

"Uh, yeah," Michelangelo frowned. "All the wrong kinds, Amigo. And what about tomorrow's day off?"

"There'll be time for that," Donatello insisted. "But it's very important that we figure out what this thing's secret is. We have to turn the Empire State Building back to normal!"

"And the news van," Blodgett exclaimed. "Oh no, what will Mr. Vernon say when I show up tomorrow with a 100-karat van?!"

"He'll probably say 'Yowsa, where can I get some of that?!'" Raphael quipped.

"I guess maybe you're right," Blodgett said. "Well, thanks for showing up at just the right time, as always." He climbed back into the van and then flinched. "Ow!"

"What's wrong?" Leonardo blinked.

"Solid gold seats aren't comfortable," Blodgett grimaced.

"Wait, the inside of the van is gold too?!" Raphael came over to peer in. "Oh boy. You know what, the seatbelts are probably dangerous now. Why don't you forget the van and we'll take you home."

Blodgett perked up. "Really? Gee, thanks." He climbed out and locked the door after him.

Donatello hurried over to the van now. "Fascinating," he breathed.

Michelangelo was not pleased. "I can think of a lot of other words for it. Come on, Donatello, let's go!"

Reluctantly, Donatello tore himself away. "I'll come back in the morning and take pictures," he decided.

Michelangelo sighed and looked to Leonardo with an expression of knowing disappointment. Their plans for tomorrow were definitely shot.

Leonardo looked back with sympathy but didn't speak to try to change Donatello's mind. This did seem like a serious problem that needed correcting. And out of all of them, Donatello was the most qualified to see about that.

xxxx

"What are we doin' here, Barney?" Bebop asked as Barney picked the lock on the door of an old factory and pushed it open. "This place is condemned."

"All the better for us," Barney retorted. "No one will bother us here." He stepped inside and took out a flashlight. He beamed it at the floor but walked ahead with purpose. He knew what he was doing. And, it seemed, where he was going.

"Have you been here before?" Rocksteady looked nervously over his shoulder.

"I was here once or twice out of bored curiosity," Barney admitted. Finding the stairs, he started up. "Shut that door after you."

Rocksteady complied. "So what are we doing?" he echoed Bebop's question. "The boss is gonna be calling in pretty soon wanting to know what's happening."

"We're here so I can find the parts to put together a gold-tracker," Barney finally explained. "We don't know the location of the Turtles' Lair, but the gold-tracker will follow the signal of the goose and take us there. Then we can take them by surprise and recover the goose before Mr. Shredder and Krang realize it's gone. In addition, we will at long last know the location of the Lair, something our employers have wanted for ages. That information will more than make up for this little setback."

"Okay," Bebop said slowly. "But uh, why do you think you can find the parts here?"

"There's all manner of spare parts around here," Barney replied. "I'm sure the previous occupant collected what we'll need."

"Somebody lived here?!" Rocksteady said in disbelief. He followed Barney and Bebop up the stairs, sticking to one side when it looked like the middle could break through at any moment.

"That term could be used loosely, but yes, someone had his residence here," Barney said. "It wasn't condemned then, just abandoned." Finally arriving on the top floor, he threw open the door and instinctively switched on a light without looking for it. The remains of a scientist's workroom, with tables, benches, and pieces of several unfinished and ravaged inventions were illuminated.

"Wow," said Bebop. "So who lived here?"

"My brother," Barney said with a sneer. "He sunk all his money into his inventions and couldn't make up the rent for his apartment, so he was kicked out. He made do with this rat-trap." He walked over to one half-completed cylindrical tower and started examining it for parts. "No one should be able to see the lights in here with the windows boarded, but why don't you two keep watch just in case."

"Okay." Bebop headed back to the stairs. "I wonder why the lights come on when this place is condemned and stuff."

"Apparently the city never found Baxter's generator," Barney answered, already occupied with his task.

"Well, that's handy," said Bebop.

"Yeah," Rocksteady agreed. "Maybe we can use this place as a hideout a lot more times!"

"We'll see," said Barney. "I'd rather not come here often, but if my brother's collection is useful now, it may be again in the future. Now go on and keep a lookout downstairs!"

"Okay, okay," Rocksteady snapped. "We're going."

"What do we do if the boss calls?" Bebop suddenly wondered. "He probably will. Or Krang."

"Whatever you do, don't tell him the goose has fallen into the Turtles' possession!" Barney exclaimed. "That might put me out of favor with Krang as well as Shredder. I can't have that."

"So maybe we should just not answer?" Rocksteady suggested.

"Fine, fine!" Barney grabbed a wrench and began loosening a bolt.

"They'll know something's wrong if that goes on too long, though," Bebop pointed out.

"This shouldn't take long," Barney insisted.

"Well, okay." But Bebop still looked worried.

So did Rocksteady. "Krang was so sure the goose would be the thing that would get all our plans to work. If we don't get it back, maybe we'll all fall out of favor with both of them!" He shuddered. "Then it'd probably be into the disintegration chamber for all of us!"

Barney paused. For a moment he pictured Baxter being cruelly dragged down the hall to certain death. Then he furiously shook his head. "No. That won't happen. I won't let it."

"I don't know how you're gonna stop it," Bebop said. "Not unless we get the goose back."

"We'll get it back!" Barney boomed.

"I think we should leave him alone," Rocksteady hissed.

Bebop was in complete agreement. With a nod he followed Rocksteady down the stairs and away from the high-strung scientist.

xxxx

Splinter listened in grave concern as the Turtles described the bizarre events of the night and showed him the Golden Goose. He studied it with thoughtfulness, turning it around in his hands.

"So you see, Master Splinter, I feel that it's really important for me to work on uncovering the secrets of this goose right away," Donatello said. "The future of the world could depend on it!"

"I agree," Splinter answered. "But think carefully, my son. Are you more eager to examine the goose for that reason, or because you are simply fascinated by it?"

Donatello looked down. "Well . . . it's some of both, I guess."

Michelangelo frowned. "You'd rather tinker with bizarro power sources and King Midas geese than to be with us for some downtime!"

That brought Donatello's attention up again with a snap. "That's not true!" he protested.

"So does that mean that if there wasn't this new threat against the world, you'd still go ahead with our plans for tomorrow instead of trying to pick apart this weird waterfowl?" Michelangelo asked, folding his arms.

"Of course it does!" Donatello insisted.

"I have to wonder," Raphael said. "But whatever. You can stay up and play with it. I am going to bed."

"Me too," Leonardo declared. "It's been a really long day. We already had to deal with Vernon getting possessed by that crazy crown. We really didn't need another problem right away."

Michelangelo yawned. "Yeah, tomorrow's probably gonna be mondo active. I'm gonna hit the sack too."

Leonardo stood, heading for his room. "Goodnight, Master Splinter." Raphael and Michelangelo echoed his words.

"Goodnight," Splinter nodded.

"Are you going to stay up, Master Splinter?" Donatello asked.

"No, I believe I will go to bed as well," Splinter said. "I wish you success with your endeavor."

"Thank you, Master," Donatello said. "I might end up having to go out to the alien room to look for information there."

Splinter paused. "If you do, you should not go alone. There's no telling what else might be there or if Krang and Shredder might try to go back."

"I'll keep that in mind," Donatello promised.

xxxx

When Baxter's Turtle-Comm went off the next morning, he felt like hiding under his pillow and not answering it. He had fallen asleep again at some point, but he wasn't sure for how long. Judging from how exhausted he was, it couldn't have been much. Still, it could be important. He reached to the nightstand and fumbled with the device before finally getting hold of it and opening it. "Hello?" he mumbled.

"Wow, Dude, you look awful," Michelangelo proclaimed.

"I wonder how well you'd look after a bad night's sleep," Baxter retorted.

"Aww, man, I thought you'd probably sleep pretty good after last night being so hectic," Michelangelo said in sympathy. "I don't think Donatello closed his eyes once."

"Really?" Baxter raised an eyebrow. "What was the matter with him?"

"Oh, he found something better to do than hang with us today like we were planning." Michelangelo couldn't keep the disappointment and frustration out of his voice. "I mean, I know this is important and all, but he was so excited to think of working on it, and I guess you probably will be too . . ."

"Working on what, Michelangelo?!" Baxter exclaimed in exasperation.

"The Golden Goose! We found this crazy goose last night that was turning buildings and vans and bo staffs to solid gold! We brought it home and Donatello's been putting it through a bunch of tests ever since."

That woke Baxter up. "What do you mean you found it?!" He sat up straight, reaching for his glasses while holding onto the Turtle-Comm with his other hand.

"Well . . ." Michelangelo looked hesitant now. "Bebop and Rocksteady were using it. And your brother."

"Yeah!" Raphael called in the background. "He tried to turn me and Donatello into statues!"

Baxter flinched. "And you got this goose away from them?"

"Yep," said Michelangelo. "They were real mad."

"No doubt they'll try to get it back," Baxter frowned. "Where did it come from?!"

"From that alien ship, I think," Michelangelo said. "It's a good thing they don't know how to get to the Lair."

"Don't assume that will remain the case," Baxter warned. "Barney will be very determined to get it back. If he was the only one with Bebop and Rocksteady, it most likely means that he was put in charge of this operation. After his failure with the spider robot, he will be all the more desperate to ensure it doesn't happen again."

"Yeah, but he sure doesn't know his way around here," Michelangelo said slowly. "And Bebop and Rocksteady are too stupid to remember how they get here whenever they show up!"

"Don't underestimate Barney," Baxter insisted. "Maybe he can devise something that will enable him to track the goose."

"No way," Michelangelo gasped. "He could do that?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, at least," Baxter said.

"I'd better warn Donatello," Michelangelo said. "The dude's been really uptight about this goose thing. He doesn't like any interruptions."

"I don't blame him," Baxter said. "But he had better accept this one." He started to get out of bed. "I'll come out there."

"I don't think Donatello's had much luck with figuring out how the goose works," Michelangelo said.

"I haven't," Donatello said in the background. "I was just coming to say that I'm going to go out to the alien room and see if I can find anything there. Master Splinter didn't think I should go alone in case someone's there we don't want to see."

"Well, Baxter's saying that Barney might come up with a way to track the goose," Michelangelo reported. "Since we're all up for the day, why don't we all come with you?"

"Alright," Donatello said slowly.

Splinter wandered into the room. "I sense that there will be much danger involved," he announced. "I will come as well."

"I'll meet all of you there," Baxter promised even as his stomach turned. He had a bad feeling about this venture too. But maybe there was nothing to it; it could just be nerves at the thought of running into Barney again. As long as they were on opposite sides of the fight, it was going to be increasingly difficult to keep encountering his angry brother. By this point, Baxter really had no idea if the situation would ever change. And that depressed him more and more with each meeting.

Why can't you see that this is only going to turn out badly for you, Barney? he silently lamented as he ended the conversation and moved to get ready to leave. You know what happened to me. Why do you think you will be immune?

Maybe, he thought in chagrin, it wasn't that Barney thought that. Maybe Barney was just so desperate to have a job where Baxter wasn't the first choice that he was willing to take one that deep down he really knew was doomed.

xxxx

"Yes! I've got it!"

Bebop and Rocksteady hurried up the rickety stairs at the sound of Barney's triumphant and slightly crazed voice. "The gold-tracker's finished?!" Rocksteady exclaimed.

"And it works?" Bebop added.

"Of course it works!" At the top of the stairs, they found Barney grinning wildly with bloodshot eyes as he held out a mysterious box-like object with a handle. The arrow on its viewscreen shifted directions like a compass while it clicked away like a Geiger counter.

"So how do you know it's tracking the goose and not something else made of gold, like the Empire State Building or that news van?" Rocksteady asked.

Barney brushed past him and Bebop, his eyes flashing with his excitement and delight. "I can put in the exact dimensions of the object in question!" he crowed. "It is most definitely tracking the goose."

"Oh good," said Bebop. He started to follow Barney down the stairs. "So now we can finally answer the boss the next time he calls?"

"Yes!" Barney said over his shoulder. "But remember: don't tell him the goose was lost!"

"How are we gonna avoid it?" Bebop wondered. "He and Krang have gotta know something's up by now. Maybe they're even up here looking for us."

"Tell him the communicator was lost and you spent the night looking for it. Tell him anything other than the truth!" Barney snapped.

"Okay," Bebop frowned. "You really are uptight. You don't have any inside knowledge that this is your last chance or something, do you?" His tone and his body language showed that he was concerned. Not for Barney, naturally, but for himself and maybe for Rocksteady.

"No, I don't," Barney said. "I'm just thinking of Mr. Shredder's lack of patience with humans. He already abandoned me once. And Krang might not have much more patience. He never wanted to work with an Earth scientist before."

"I guess that's plenty of reason to be worried," Bebop conceded.

"That, and what happened to your brother," Rocksteady added.

"Yes." Barney's voice was clipped. "Be quiet now and we should have the goose back within a half-hour." He frowned. "I don't think it's in the Turtles' Lair. The signal is too close. It must be aboveground."

"That's okay with us," Rocksteady said. "We didn't really wanna go in the sewers anyway."

"I wanted to deliver the Turtles' Lair as a bonus offering, even though in that case we would have to explain some of what happened," Barney said. "But nevermind that now." He headed out of the factory and into their amphibious module. "Let's go. Rocksteady, you drive. I will give you directions."

"Oh boy!" Rocksteady exclaimed. He hopped in the driver's seat.

Bebop got in more cautiously. Barney's worries had him worried too. Hopefully there was nothing to them.

xxxx

Baxter arrived two blocks away from the construction site around the same time as the Turtles and Splinter. He eyed the military guards with wariness as he climbed out of his station wagon. "Exactly how do you expect to get past those sentries?" he asked in greeting to his friends.

"We're not sure," Michelangelo admitted. "We can't use a lot of ninja stealth in broad daylight."

"Perhaps you can get us in, Dr. Stockman," Splinter suggested. "You are Channel 6's scientific consultant. If you explain to them that you are conducting a follow-up examination of the alien room, they may allow you to pass."

Baxter frowned. "I doubt it," he objected. "They likely have their own scientists. They wouldn't want someone else butting in."

"Hey, it's worth a try," Raphael shrugged.

Suddenly Michelangelo noticed they weren't all there. "Where's Donatello?" he asked.

"He's still in the Van," Leonardo replied. "He said he'd come out with the goose if we figure out a way in. Otherwise, he thinks he should stay there for now and run some more tests."

Michelangelo scowled. "The dude's just mondo obsessed with that creepy cousin to a rubber duckie."

"Surely you realize he needs to learn what makes it tick," Baxter said.

"Yeah, but he's started turning things into gold to study them after it happens," Michelangelo sighed. "I think he's really getting a charge out of it."

"It would be fascinating," Baxter said. "I would likely enjoy it myself."

"That figures," Michelangelo muttered. "You geek types usually stick together."

"Michelangelo, what's wrong with you?" Leonardo frowned, while Baxter looked stunned and even a little hurt. "I know you're disappointed about not getting to do something fun today, but surely you realize this takes priority."

"Oh, I know," Michelangelo said. "It's not really that, though." He looked to the Van. "I'm worried about Donatello. You know? It's kind of like how he was when he realized the Earth was moving closer to the sun, only different. He's so obsessively fascinated by the thing that he can't think of anything else."

From the Van came Donatello's voice. "I just turned the tracking camera to gold! But . . . how? How does it work? Why can't I figure out why it works?! Gold!" A bright flash. "Gold! Gold!"

Everyone stared in shock. "Donatello, chill out before you turn the whole Van into gold like the news van last night!" Michelangelo yelled.

"But I have to figure out how this works!" Donatello cried. "If I can't, I won't be able to determine how to reverse it!"

"What happened to finding the solution in the alien room?" Michelangelo frowned.

"Michelangelo is right, my student." Splinter approached the Van's open door and looked inside. "You are pushing yourself too hard with this task. Your feelings are clouding your mind. You must take a break."

"I don't have time!" Donatello insisted. "The bad guys will probably be here any minute!"

"Oh, how right you are." Raphael turned to look as the module drove up next to their vehicles.

Baxter tensed. When Barney leaped outside baring a strange device and a wild look in his eyes, Baxter took a step back. He had hoped it wouldn't happen, but he found himself afraid of his brother again.

"Hand over that goose, Brother!" Barney demanded. "I won't play so nice this time."

"I can believe it," Baxter frowned. "But I don't have the goose."

"Then one of the Turtles still does." Barney turned, finally pointing his device at the Van. "There!"

Bebop and Rocksteady lumbered in that direction. "Okay, Turtle, give it up," Bebop ordered.

Donatello appeared at the door, bo staff in hand. "If you really think I'm going to, you've got another thing coming," he said darkly. "And don't forget that all of you ran away last night because you were afraid we were going to try to turn you into gold. Aren't you still afraid of that now?"

"Nah, not really," said Rocksteady. He lunged at Donatello. "Especially when you're not even holding it!"

Baxter dove out of the way as a full-scale brawl commenced. Barney made a beeline for the Van, making sure to avoid the flying mutants along the way.

"Someone stop him!" Leonardo yelled. He sliced through Bebop's latest blaster.

"I'm on it, Amigo!" Michelangelo called back. He twirled his grappling hook, catching the top of the open back doors of the Van. He swooped forward and inside, just in time to meet Barney entering the Van from the front. "Hey, are you looking for this?" He grabbed for the goose at the same time Barney did.

Barney clenched his teeth. "Let go."

Michelangelo gave a forceful pull, bringing the goose to him and raising the desperate Barney off the floor when he continued to grip it. "You let go, Dude!" he said in disbelief.

"Barney!" Baxter ran up to the passenger door and looked inside.

Barney ignored him and continued to tug at the goose, but in vain. Baxter was coming in and Michelangelo was reaching to pry Barney away with his other hand. There were only seconds to act before one or both of them managed to pull him back. In one swift move, Barney had wrenched the goose down so the beak was touching Michelangelo's arm. "Gold," he hissed.

Michelangelo's eyes went wide. "Dude, what . . ." But then the goose dropped from his hand as a cruel gold coating swept over his body. He didn't even have the chance to scream.

Barney landed on his feet, clutching the goose while standing by and observing. Baxter stopped short, staring in utter horror and disbelief. "Michelangelo!" He whipped around, regarding Barney with a look of mixed but shattered emotions.

Barney took a step back. "He's not dead," he defended. The tremor in his voice could not be concealed. "He's not. Krang said there was an antidote. . . ."

"And you'd believe him?!" Baxter screamed.

The voices brought the fighting outside the Van to a halt. Instantly the other Turtles took up Baxter's cry. "Michelangelo!" They and Splinter rushed forward with one accord, looking up at their beloved compatriot. He was frozen in place, one arm raised and the other half-extended, a shocked look permanently etched into his golden features.

"Alright, that does it!" Raphael roared. He sprang into the Van, both sai bared as he lunged at Barney. "You're scum! I'll never forgive you for this!"

"Gold!" Barney screamed, touching the beak to the closest sai. He turned, desperately pushing past Baxter as he ran to the side door.

"Barney, no!" Baxter cried. He stumbled but righted himself and chased after his twin.

Rocksteady was waiting just outside the door. "I'll take this," he sneered, pulling the goose away from Barney before the man could so much as utter a protest. "Gold!" he yelled, touching Raphael's hand when the vengeful Turtle ran over.

Raphael's eyes flashed. He opened his mouth to speak, probably a bitter curse, but nothing came out.

Baxter fell back, further horrified to see a second Turtle become a statue. He gripped the top of the seat in back of him, shaking, his knuckles white.

Rocksteady just laughed. "Two down! Won't the boss be thrilled!" He turned, running towards the module. "Catch, Bebop!"

Bebop held out his hands with an evil grin as he ran.

"No, you fools!" Barney yelled. "It isn't a football!"

But Rocksteady had already lobbed the bird. Bebop caught it and held it fast. The module was just up ahead. The two remaining Turtles and Splinter were running at them from the opposite side, Leonardo in the lead with both katanas bared.

"You're not getting away with that goose!" he insisted.

"Try us," Bebop sneered. "Gold." He ducked under the sword and touched Leonardo's fingers with the beak as he leaped into the module. Rocksteady and Barney followed right on his tail. The door slammed shut as Donatello and Splinter ran up. Then it was gone, digging into the ground.

Donatello stood shaking, staring in disbelief at the hole in the ground. He couldn't bring himself to look at Leonardo, frozen in the process of running. Chilling, deadly silence filled the area for one endless moment. Then a shout of anguish tore from Donatello's lips. He stabbed the ground with the end of his staff and sank to his knees in grief.

"Gone," he choked out. "They're all gone! I'm the only Turtle left!"

"Donatello." Splinter laid a firm hand on Donatello's shoulder. Despite the anguish in his own voice, he struggled to hold it back. "We cannot give up. There must be a way to reverse this."

Donatello trembled. "We were going to make a good day out of today," he sobbed. "Then this goose came along and I felt I had to put all my attention to it! I wanted to put all my attention to it! It was so incredible to me that I just couldn't tear myself away!"

"It was important," Splinter told him.

Donatello wasn't comforted. "But that wasn't really why I was so interested. At least not at first. I just thought it was really fantastic. I let them down! Michelangelo was so disappointed. I'm sure everyone else was too. And now . . . now, maybe there'll never be another chance!"

Splinter shut his eyes in grief. "We must focus on the idea that there will be," he said. "Giving up will surely let them down."

"Oh, I won't give up." Donatello's voice had suddenly turned hard. He got to his feet, pulling the bo out of the ground. "I'm going into that alien room and find out what to do, no matter how many guards try to stop me!"

The guards were running over to the scene, shocked and horrified at what they had witnessed from afar. "What happened here?!" one of them cried.

Splinter looked to them. "You are aware of the golden Empire State Building?"

"We sure are," said the second.

"The same object that rendered it as gold has been used against three of the Ninja Turtles," Splinter said gravely. "It came from the room you are guarding, stolen last night by lackeys of Shredder and Krang. We must be allowed to enter the room and search for information on how to reverse what has happened. If this is not corrected, it could happen to many more innocent people."

"Well, come on," exclaimed the first.

Donatello hurried after him, clutching his bo so tightly his knuckles were turning white. The second guard followed after him, badly disturbed. "If I hadn't seen them being transformed, I wouldn't believe it," he said. "I can barely believe it as it is!"

"It happened," Donatello answered, his voice pinched. "I saw it too."

Splinter lingered behind, remembering that there was one of their party who was not accounted for. "Dr. Stockman?" He looked into the Van, his heart twisting as he had to look around Raphael to do so. He was afraid that he would find a golden Baxter Stockman, another victim of the villains' flight. Instead he found a very much alive Baxter sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up to his chest. He was staring ahead, shaking and practically hyperventilating.

Immediately Splinter slipped around Raphael and knelt next to the traumatized scientist. "Dr. Stockman!" He gripped Baxter's shoulders. "Dr. Stockman, you must get hold of yourself!"

Baxter looked to him, the horrors of the ages written in his eyes and on his face. "My brother started this," he whispered. "Barney did that to Michelangelo. And then Rocksteady did it to Raphael. . . ." He shook his head. "I just stood here, so close but so unable to do anything!"

"None of us could do anything," Splinter said quietly. "But we must do something now. We must find how to reverse what has happened."

Baxter swallowed hard. ". . . Barney insisted Michelangelo isn't dead," he rasped. "He said Krang knows of an antidote. Barney does all manner of abominable things, but he tried so hard to convince me that he didn't just murder my friend right before my eyes. No . . . he was trying to convince himself."

"We must believe in the antidote," Splinter said. "Come, Dr. Stockman. We are going to search the alien room. The military has given us permission to go ahead now that they have seen the power of the goose."

Baxter reached behind him for the back of the car's seat. He was still shaking as he gripped it and pulled himself up, but he seemed to have regained better control of himself overall. He cast a final forlorn look at Michelangelo and Raphael before following Splinter outside.

The sight of Leonardo made him stop in his tracks again. "Oh no," he gasped.

"Donatello escaped," Splinter told him. "We must hurry."

Baxter gave a trembling nod. Dizzy and choked with confusion and grief and sorrow, he walked with Splinter to the alien room.

He didn't try to speak again until they were in the room and walking over to where Donatello was going through the contents of a shelf. "Donatello, I . . . I'm so sorry," he tried to say.

"It wasn't your fault," Donatello answered, not looking up. "You're hurting too."

"I was right there and I couldn't do anything," Baxter said sadly. He took the next shelf.

"Master Splinter and I were right behind Leonardo and we couldn't save him," Donatello said.

"You . . . really don't blame me?" Baxter sounded amazed and even awed at the concept. "It was my brother who did that to Michelangelo."

Donatello slammed a book shut. "No, I don't blame you! I don't even fully blame Barney. I blame myself more than anyone else! I should have been able to figure out how the goose worked before things got this far! I was trying so hard to do everything I could to find the answers, and I completely missed the mark! If it wasn't for me, they might all be okay right now!"

"They would not want you to blame yourself," Splinter said kindly. "And that goes for both of you."

". . . And for you too, Sensei," Donatello said.

Splinter bowed his head. "Yes. I know."

Baxter sighed. "It won't be easy, but I'll try not to blame myself." He looked despondently at the shelf. "It could take days to crack the aliens' language! Weeks! And we very likely won't even have hours before Shredder and Krang strike. What can we do?!"

"The very best we can," Splinter said. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but I feel very strongly that the worst is yet to come."

Donatello and Baxter exchanged a horrified look. How could things possibly get worse?

xxxx

The communicator went off while the module was en route back to the factory. Barney glanced at Bebop in the front seat. "You can answer that now," he said.

If Bebop noticed the tautness to Barney's voice, he said nothing about it. "Hi, Boss," he greeted.

"What in blazes is going on up there?!" Shredder boomed.

"Well, we had a little trouble with losing the goose to the Turtles," Bebop said. "But we got it back!"

"Really?" Shredder sounded doubtful.

Suddenly Krang pushed him away to take over the screen. "You had better not be lying," he gurgled.

"It's the truth, Krang! Honest!" Bebop sneered. "And here's something you're really going to like. We got three of the Turtles!"

"What?" Krang looked suspicious. "What do you mean, you got them?"

"They're nothin' more than gold statues!" Rocksteady crowed.

"Is it possible?" Krang frowned.

"Barney got one of them," Bebop said. "Rocksteady and I got the other two. It'll probably be on the news any time now."

"Well." Krang's face split into a wide smile. "I'd say I was right about Barney. He's an asset to our little group. He even got the two of you to do something right."

Shredder stamped his foot. "Such a key opportunity and I missed it!" he cried. "Three of the Turtles vanquished without me even there to share in the victory!"

"At least you know it's been done," Krang retorted. "Now, contact Channel 6 as you were originally supposed to do and deliver our ultimatum."

"Right, Krang," said Bebop.

"Wait." Barney leaned forward, looking over the top of the seat in front of him. "You said there's an antidote. What is it?"

"Well, that all depends on how soon the goose is returned to the precise location in the alien ship where Bebop and Rocksteady found it," Krang replied. "You see, there's something I didn't tell you."

"There's a lot you didn't tell us," Shredder growled. "What is it, Krang?!"

"Once the goose leaves its roost, there's only 24 Earth hours to put it back before disaster spreads across the entire face of the globe," Krang chortled. "After 12 hours the goose comes to life and starts turning anything it sees into gold. Two hours later, it sheds its golden coat and that starts spreading across the planet, coating everything in its path! By the time the full day is up, you have one of the prettiest planets in the universe, but also one of the deadest!" He cackled madly.

"What?!" Barney gripped the seat. "You left us up here and didn't bother to tell us that we might be dooming the planet, us included?!"

"Relax," Krang said with a wave of an arm. "After you make the ultimatum, you will return the goose to the alien ship to await the people's decision. Naturally you don't tell them it's been returned. You'll let them think they only have a few hours to agree to let us take over."

"But it's almost been 12 hours now," Bebop exclaimed. "There's never gonna be enough time!"

"Then you fools shouldn't have lost the goose to the Turtles in the first place," Krang sneered. "Do your best with what time you have."

"And what if things get to where this golden coat is spreading across Earth?!" Shredder exclaimed. "Will it reach us at the bottom of the ocean?!"

"I've made plans in case of that," Krang said calmly. "The gold won't be able to pass through our shields. When it finishes, we can teleport ourselves to the surface and recapture the goose. It won't be hard, since it will be the only other being not encased in gold. Then we can return it to its roost and everything will be reversed."

"I hope you will transport us back to the Technodrome before we're caught up in that," Barney snapped.

"Of course," Krang said.

". . . What if things don't go that far?" Barney wondered. "Will putting the goose in its roost reverse everything that has been turned to gold at this point?"

"Hmm. There's a different method for restoring what was turned to gold in that case. But you wouldn't want to do that now, would you?" Krang smirked at him.

"I'm just wondering," Barney insisted. "Those who escaped the cruelest results of our attack are probably searching for a way to reverse it now."

"They'll never find it," Krang giggled. "They can't read the language! And now, stop wasting my time and get on with contacting Channel 6!" The screen went dead.

"We're coming up in downtown New York now," Rocksteady said. "Maybe we should go directly to Channel 6."

Barney slumped back in the seat. "Do that," he agreed.