Burn Image
Chapter 1-
The Blood
Rated 18+
For "mature" scenes, and Gore
Authors notes: Welcome to all my new readers, and Welcome back to all my "Family Struggles" readers. I must for-warn that thought Family Struggles touched on some heavy subjects they will be nothing in comparison to this. If you're very imaginative and have a weak stomach then maybe this isn't the story for you, or if you don't like anthroxhuman romance (NO T-cest) then you should probably leave.
Though this chapter remains fairly innocent I can assure that it's going to get much worse. You have been warned, and for those that stick around I hope you enjoy. :]
The night was silent. Just like the time before...
Leonardo touched his hand underneath his left eye as he stood alone. Merely a silhouette in the light of the moon as he stood solo upon the roof top.
As the cold night air began to chill him a small crackle could be heard from the collar that was firmly placed around his neck. He placed a finger on the button of the collar, "On my way."
He left his hand fell to his side as he let out a giant breath of air. His eyes closed slowly as he took in every last moment of imagery that he could.
He let his body go limp as he let himself free fall from the roof of the skyscraper he stood upon.
The wind rushed past him as he fell further and further. Without ever once opening his eyes he pushed off the wall of the tower midst his free fall and leapt onto the much smaller building across the street. He rolled upon hitting the roof, but stood up and calmly began walking forward.
His eyes slowly opened back up. He looked around. Almost as if he was certain he was being followed, but trying to not alarm whatever it could be.
He walked forward and eventually got to the point where he was quickly hoping over roofs, his feet only ever touching the ground once each rooftop he encountered. But despite this, he never once lost his shadow like appearance.
There was a cat on one of the roofs and even it hadn't noticed him.
After only a minute or so Leo had cleared two miles. It helped that he didn't have to run on the roads. As he stopped he walked forward to ten foot ninjas that stood before him.
"Commander." Said one of the ninjas as he bowed.
"What is it? What did you find?" Asked Leo as he finally emerged from the shadows.
The years certainly hadn't had much affect on him. He had grown a few inches, and his eyes more narrow. His muscles had only been more defined, alas, they were cloaked with more gear that Leo thought necessary. All foot ninja uniform he supposed. The only thing new that relatively stuck out was the lovely mix of scar/burn mark that touched his left eye. Luckily most of that was covered by his blue mask.
"We've found another symbol...it looks like they've struck again." As the Ninja pointed into the alley below Leo stepped forward.
Sure enough...that same burned in symbol on the brick wall of the alley, which now contained scorch marks all around the rest of the wall and the floor. Blood splattered over the blackness.
Leo surveyed the images from above. "I guess they didn't get their victim this time." Added Leo irritated as he noticed the slightly scorched body of a teenage looking girl laying beneath the image. It was her blood that painted the walls. The smell of burnt flesh finally began to fill Leo. "Was she already dead when you got here?" Asked Leo to the ninjas without turning his head from the scene.
"Yes. We followed some leads as to where they could have gone but all led to a dead end. We no longer have any leads." Replied the ninja.
Leo sighed and nodded before leaping down into the alley. He knelt down next to the girl's body. Though her body was now blackened from the scorch marks her face was only dirtied by actual dirt. Probably from fighting off her attackers. Her glazed over eyes looked directly at him as he whipped her bangs from her face.
"I'm sorry I didn't make it on time..." Whispered Leo. His voice was heavy as he held back the feelings he was having, but you could not tell by his face. Her dress was torn only at the stomach where they had clearly impaled her with a dagger. "Who is she?" Asked Leo as he stood up.
One of the other ninjas stepped forward, "Heidi Livingston. Senior Honor student at Central High School. She hasn't been reported missing yet by her parents. According to our intel she was on her way to a friends house to spend the night there when she was picked up."
Leo furrowed his face into a disgusted frown. "Anything connecting her to any of the other victims or missing people?"
"Again...No...we've also been looking into the other cases more thoroughly, and we STILL haven't found a connection between any of them."
Leo sighed heavily, allowing the anger inside him to be heard as he shook his head. "How is it that 42 victims can just...how can there not be ANY connection to them? There has to be. These aren't just random killings and kidnappings. What are those idiots in testing labs doing!?"
Leo looked the body again and just grunted. He turned and began to walk out of the alley, "Make this scene disappear just like all the others. The public can't know that this is an organized syndicate."
The Foot Ninjas all bowed to him as he made his way back into the shadows.
Long ago the brothers had prevented an alien force known as the Kraang from Terraforming the Earth. Since Karai took over as Shredder she purchased the TCRI building and labs. Both TCRI and the Technodrome buildings were strongholds for the Foot Clan.
The TCRI building had a back entrance for its...not so normal employees. The crisp cold air crept up his back as he finally opened and shut the door into the building. Walking directly to the elevator it was clear he had a purpose. No one dared stand in his way. Not because he was 2nd in command of the Foot Clan, but because he looked downright furious.
He walked into the elevator and crossed his arms. Everyone that was in the elevator with him either quickly got out on the next floor or stayed and plastered themselves to the wall to not get in his way.
Floor...floor...floor...finally the 56th floor.
A woman in a lab coat with the Foot Ninja Logo clearly plastered on the sleeve grabbed Leonardos shoulder as he was about to step out, "Um Commander...I'm sorry to interrupt but you don't have permission to come on this floor."
Leo quickly turned and glared at her, "And why is that?" He demanded.
She nervously hid behind her clipboard, "It-it's just that...they're really busy in there...I know you don't like getting in the way of the research." His glare quickly flashed harder at her and she cowered, "B-BUT I-I-I'm sure it'll be fine for just a minute!"
He turned without another word as he stepped off the elevator with her nervously following behind.
Across the lab he walked with clear purpose. Just like the floor before, no one dared get in his way. All those lab coated men and women did was stare at him nervously as he stomped past them. Their whispers to one another with quite clear. Finally he reached a door to a room that said "Authorized personnel Only".
One of the scientists tried to stop him, but he felt a cold chill go down his spine and pulled away.
Leo quickly pushed the door open upon reaching it. It was a smaller lab, and was much better lit.
Every man and woman in the room quickly turned to see who had dared walked into their lab, but quickly drew back upon seeing who it was. There was only one lab coated scientist who didn't. Instead she stood with her hands in her pockets, looking cocky as ever, with a huge grin on her freckled face. The long red hair was hanging wet around her. Clearly she had just been in the chemical shower...again.
"Well look who it is." Smiled April. "What can I do for you my dear little brother?"
Leo groaned, suddenly feeling the loss of strength he had only moments ago. He was ready to tell her off, but seeing her face, he knew he couldn't.
"Don't play nice with me April...You know why I'm here."
She turned and started walking over to the white board behind her, with Leo close behind.
"Of course I know why you barged into this private lab. We JUST got the report from where you were." She sighed as she grabbed a cup of tea. She lifted her own cup and smiled at him as she handed him one. Clearly after receiving the report she knew he was coming and she was ready for him. She looked over to the other scientists who stood staring in a small huddle as to what they should do now that Leo was here.
"He's our commander you guys. He's allowed to see what we're working on." She shook her head as she blew on her tea.
Everyone knew who Leo was, and everyone knew how to treat him. The scientists however were always nervous. They weren't allowed to show people what they were working on so whenever Leo was in there they assumed that they needed to temporarily stop productions.
She motioned to two chairs that sat across from the board. He reluctantly sat down, but upon doing so drank his entire cup in one large gulp.
"Thirsty?" Asked April as she crossed her legs and began sipping her tea.
He looked down at the floor, "Just cold..."
April sighed into her tea. "How is your eye?" She asked quietly.
For a moment he closed his eyes and remembered when his left eye had been scarred and burned. Only a moment flashed in his head and he quickly discarded it. "It's fine..."
She set her tea down on the floor, and gave her displeased older sister look.
For a moment Leo tried to fight back with his own eldest brother displeased face right back at her, but it failed. He slumped his shoulders showing that he had lost the "battle". He closed his eyes and felt her warm soft hands sweep across his cheeks up to his mask.
They were giant mutant turtles...masks didn't really do very well for hiding their identity. Regardless even in Aprils presence the boys had always refused to take off their masks. They always feared that one day she would leave and that she would remember them as vulnerable. Only recently had the four brothers considered her so close that they actually wanted her to be there for their vulnerable side.
April peered back to make sure the other scientists were so busy with work that they weren't paying attention. Of course, they were very in depth in their work. She turned back as she slowly slid Leos mask up his face. Only high enough so she could see the whole scar, but even still...she could tell that there was a sudden mood change in the air. Leo felt relaxed, but...in a weak kind of way. He trusted April, and she could feel that.
She examined the burns/scars/ over his eye and slowly pulled the mask back down.
"How has the stuff I gave you been working?" She asked calmly, hoping that Leo would stay in his relaxed mood, though he was not feeling as vulnerable.
"It's made it not feel as...intense, but, I think you gave it to me way too late. I had already had these for three months before you gave it to me."
She sighed as she looked disappointed to the side, "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be...you did your best. It's just a scar I'm gonna have to live with. If I hadn't been so reluctant that night...I should have-"
April quickly stopped him from walking down bad memory lane by pulling his face back to face her. Their eyes met and they both just looked sad.
"Did you have something you needed to ask me, Leo?" She added a little smile to try and make him feel better. Of course he couldn't help but smile back. The moment didn't last long. He stood up and faced the whiteboard before he decided to speak. His chat with April was no longer driven by anger.
"I know you don't have much to go on about the girl who was murdered tonight yet...but...have you found ANY connection between any of them yet?"
April shook her head, "Who knows? Maybe this Heidi girl will finally shed some light?"
Leo grunted, "None of the others did...why would she be any different?"
April couldn't help but look away. She couldn't face him. She felt like she was failing, and that upset her more than anything. He had done so much for her...and now she was given the chance to return the favor...and couldn't.
"I'm trying Leo...I know that's not what you want to hear but..."
"Stop it April." He turned to her and smiled. It was kind of forced, but it was sincere. "You're doing your best. It can't be easy living the way you've been...well...living. Just...call me on the T-Phone if something comes up." He turned and lost his smile. He looked so defeated and sad.
"Of course I will...and Leo-" Leo stopped and turned his head curiously to her. He could tell that she was sad because of him, but he didn't have the patience to deal with it. Although, her sad smile was practically breaking his heart.
"Yes?" He asked as she continued to just stare at him...take him in, if you will, for a moment. Her sad smile let out a soft giggle as she leaned on her chair, "Thanks for visiting."
He genuinely smirked at her and walked out of the lab. As the door shut she immediately slumped in her chair, completely and utterly exhausted from just that conversation.
One of the scientists inched her way over to her, "Um...ma'am."
April merely raised her hand and lazily pointed at the woman, "Go get me salt, 3 tequila shots and a lime. Now."
The mornings that he actually managed to sleep were the hardest. He couldn't have a single pleasant dream. Only reliving his real life nightmares. He'd wake up in cold sweats and gasping for breath.
He quickly sat up in his bed as he began to calm himself down.
He didn't understand...they had faced so many horrible things...why...why was that one moment...so vivid...why did it strike fear into his heart like lightning? He had seen it so many times before...but that time...
He shook his head as he quickly pulled himself out of bed. He pulled on each piece of his gear and began to head for the door.
Without any hesitation he threw open the door and began to make his way out of the lair.
"Not even a good bye?" Came a familiar voice from the dojo. Leo stopped dead in his tracks as he turned to face Splinter.
"S-sorry...Master I just...had that nightmare again and I...I...sorry." He slumped as his father walked up to him.
"My son...I worry about you. There must be something we can do about these nightmares."
Leo suddenly looked fierce and confident, "I know what we have to do. We have to find these guys and defeat them. The nightmares will go away."
"If you're sure." Said Splinter clearly not fully believing his eldest son.
For a moment it was silent. Leo didn't want to talk about the nightmares where as Splinter did. He placed his hands on his hips for a moment and made a "pshew" noise as if he were releasing air. "So, um...thanks for letting me stay here to sleep. It helps."
Splinter smiled kindly at his son as he placed his hands on his shoulders, "Leonardo, this is OUR home...it is the home of myself, your brothers, and you. I know all of you are busy, and none of you live here anymore...but it is still your home."
Leo smiled up at Splinter, "Thank you Sensei."
A car always waited in the alley above Leo's sewer home. He quickly replaced the man hole cover on the ground and jumped in the vehicle.
"Good Afternoon Commander." Said an unmasked foot ninja who was Leos driver today.
"Hey...take me to Technodrome..." He said reluctantly.
The driver began to pull the car out of the alley and started down the road, "You seem rather reluctant to go today Commander."
As Leo laid back in the back seat of the Scion XD, which he absolutely hated, he gave a soft chuckle, "You would be too if you had to do what I had to do today." He laughed as he looked out the window.
"Ohhh...you have to report into Shredder today huh?"
Leo nervously gulped, but it was quiet enough that the driver didn't notice, "Yea."
"Good luck with that. I heard she's been...not in the best of moods lately. But...seems nobody knows why she's so angry."
Leo shivered from both the coldness of the season setting in, and from the thought of having to talk to Shredder.
"Yea..she's pretty mad...but...kind of a personal matter. Best not to touch it. I've been keeping my CLEAR distance to avoid it."
The driver could only nervously laugh along with Leo as they thought about how evil the Shredder could be when she was angry.
"Good luck Commander." Said the driver hesitantly as Leo quickly made his way in the back entrance of the Technodrome building. He went straight for an elevator that only actual Foot Clan members could access, so they never had to fear any of the normal employees finding them. He went to press the 100th level button but quickly pushed it to stop at level 67.
"She can wait a few minutes." He said to himself nervously.
Ding
The elevator came to a stop at the 67th floor and the door slid right open. He took a deep breath and stepped out.
The large gym like room was filled with foot ninjas. Each doing their own individual set of training. He looked around as ninjas went flying across the ceiling, or sparred on the floor. This particular training room...though made many MANY successful ninjas, he always felt that it was chaotic and wild...of course, what else would you expect from...him?
Though the room was well lit one ninja managed to remain in the shadows completely avoiding Leonardos detection. That is until he leaped off the rafters going across the ceiling while managing to do eight mid air flips on his way down, before landing perfectly in front of Leo.
"BRO!" The only ninja with an orange mask leaped at his brother and forced him into a tight embrace. Surprisingly Leo wasn't reluctant to hug his little brother back. It was a nice to have these few warm moments. They had all been so busy they hardly got to work together anymore.
"Man this is the best day ever! Raph came and visited me this morning, and now I get you!? Aw man! Is Donnie gonna come by later today too!?" Mikey smiled widely as he pulled away from his brother.
Leo could only chuckle reluctantly at Mikey's last few words, "I wouldn't hold my breath for Don..."
Mikey nodded in agreeance, "Yea. Dude's gotta learn to get all mellow."
Leo rolled his eyes and smiled, "Raph's back then?"
Mikey rolled his whole upper body to exaggerate how unmotivated he was about the topic of Raph, "Uuuugh...he's already left again, but this time he went alone."
"He didn't take Xever with him?"
"Yea. He got a mission and then took off. Xever didn't even know Raph had left until after it was too late. But he said it was nothing serious. Probably just dealing with the Purple Dragons. Since Fong "retired" they've kind of been doing their own thing. Not really following Shredders orders." Said Mikey still uncaring about the situation.
Leo only sighed as a response. Raph always had to go off on solo missions, they hardly ever saw him.
For a moment nothing was said. Leo looked to his youngest brother. He wasn't the same boy he had been the first night they left their sewer home. He had always matched Raph in shortness, and had a few extra pounds than the rest of them. Eyes wide with curiosity and his cheeks always had freckles that seemed to help express just how care free he was.
Now...Mikey stood an inch or so taller than Donnie. Thin and fit, his eyes had narrowed but still managed to maintain their childlike wonder. Another huge change was once they joined the Foot Clan Mikey found it necessary to go on mission that allowed him to be out in the day time. Which resulted in more freckles all over his body. In a way, it suited him.
But even still, he did not look the part of a Commander. Though Michelangelo was only fourth in Command of the Foot Clan it was still a high-ranking.
Leo enjoyed watching his brother that always used to mess around seriously train and lead others on dangerous missions.
Mikey would always say "I learned it from the best." Which always kind of made Leo feel proud inside. One thing Leo did NOT approve of about all these changes in Mikey was his new choice in weaponry. He still used his nunchucks and Kusarigama...well...not the SAME kusarigama he had used when they were younger. It was the same concept except now that blade...well...it was about half as big as Mikey. And heavy, never forget heavy. Yet Mikey carried it around and used it as if he were throwing air. It always baffled Leo but he chose to never address it.
"Earth to Leo."
Leo quickly snapped out of his nostalgic daze as Mikey bopped him on the head. "Sorry."
Unable to keep still Mikey leaped onto a rope that was hanging from the roof and began climbing it. Leo followed behind. "Sooo~ I took April to her condo last night, but uh-she said you stopped by. Was she drunk when she was with you?"
Leo looked confused as he lifted himself onto the rafters where he and Mikey now stood alone. "No...why?...Wait why did YOU take her home?"
Mikey shifted around a bit. "I got a call from her at about 5am when I was on my way home. She sounded like a mess. I went to TCRI and the other lab people were happy to see me and practically threw her to me. So I took her home. It sucked too because she left her key at TCRI so I had to break in, haha."
"I probably upset her...I knew I shouldn't have bothered her, but this whole thing...I just-"
Mikey smiled and touched his brothers burn under his eye, "Don't worry bro. She's not mad. She's just stressed."
Leo reluctantly nodded.
"Leo...you've been working on this for four years...and in the last year you became one of the victims...I know why you want this to end so badly, but be thankful that you were the only victim that made it back home."
Leo looked angry being reminded of that, "I should have been able to save all those people." He pushed Mikeys hand from his and began to walk away.
It was quiet until Mikey gave a small giggle.
"What is it?" Asked Leo finding it impossible to ignore.
His eyes gleamed up at Leo, "I just remembered that April has training with Splinter this evening. He's gonna be so mad when he sees her with a hangover."
Leo smiled and rolled his eyes. However a hint of sadness crossed his face, "It probably just wasn't stress from her job or the amount of pressure I've put on her...it's probably hard being in her big condo all alone..."
Mikey stuck out his tongue, "It's stupid that it's been this way."
"I agree little brother. Thanks for keeping me updated. I had better go face Shredder."
Mikey cringed, "Oooh rough break dude. I wouldn't want to deal with her right now. But hey look on the bright side! I heard that I might be co-leading under you tonight. Don't worry, you'll have full control of my squad. I don't wanna do it." And with that Mikey widely smiled and leaped down from the rafters thus ending the conversation with Leo.
This was it. This was the dreaded moment. He stood at the large door of the room. It wasn't the door to the meeting room where the higher ups of the Foot Clan met to discuss things...no...this was where only he would meet with Shredder. No one else was ever allowed to enter without Shredder's permission. Which was rarely given.
"Okay...be strong Leo." He took a deep breath and let it out as he clicked open the door. The moment he shut it behind him he found a knife thrown into the wall beside his head.
"It's good to see you too."
He turned his head to the young woman leaned back against the wall while sitting on her bed. He legs crossed and her arms folded, she gave him a glare that no man could ever hope to escape from. She played with another dagger between her fingers, never once averting her glare from him.
"Where were you last night?" She said in a low but clearly angered tone.
He sighed as he completely turned to her and began to walk over. He took a chair and sat beside her bed, "I went to the TCRI labs last night to ask April a few questions."
"Oh." She dropped her knife onto the bed stand and relaxed herself in the bed. "I just noticed that you didn't sign off on the report from last nights killing so I was wondering if it was accurate."
He sighed, "Yea. Sorry...I read it this morning and it's all correct."
She matched his sigh as she placed a hand over her head and ran her fingers through her silky shoulder length hair.
"Karai..."
She turned her lazy gaze to him. She looked defeated but Leo knew better than to say anything on it, instead he tried to sound concerned on a different level. "You look a little tired. I can assign all the missions tonight, you rest."
She smirked and sat up in her bed, "I don't think so. I'll save my days off for when I really need them...but let's talk about you."
He grew tense, unsure of where the situation was going. He couldn't tell if she was angry or neutral. THAT much was like her father. "Y-yea?"
"Let me see the full scar. Take off your mask."
Leo suddenly sat stiff as a board. He absolutely did NOT want Karai seeing him without his mask. "I'm sorry Karai...I have to decline. You know how I feel about that."
Karai pouted but realized upon knowing that it was a waste of time to try and bother getting him to take it off. "Why won't you let me see? You let April see."
Leo shook his head, "I have a different relationship with April than I do with you."
"Aw don't be that way." She said playfully as she rolled on her bed.
"Karai." He said sternly to get her back on topic.
She merely frowned at him and rolled out of the bed, "Here's the deal Leo-"
She stopped for a moment as she walked to her dresser and began putting her hair up and changing into her armour. Leo never turned around once.
"This mission has been tough on you, and I fear you're going crazy. Well...crazier. I know it's not your fault we haven't found these guys yet, but we have to. Forty two victims just isn't acceptable. They've been getting away with this for so long and I fear that it's just eating at you. If we don't find any leads to help ease your stress then...I'm going to pull you off of command for this mission. You'll deal with smaller stuff for a while."
He wanted to have an outburst at her, he was furious, but he didn't let it show on his face. "...Fine..."
He hadn't even bothered to look at her when he answered. He just sat in the chair. She felt bad for him. This was very unlike him...then again...giving a single care about anyone was very out of character for her. She slipped her gauntlet onto her hand and walked behind him.
As she gently placed her arms around his neck from behind she leaned her head against the back of his.
The smell of her Cherry Blossom perfume filled him. Even after all these years it still felt familiar...and he liked that.
He gently placed his hands on hers.
"Why don't you let me and my brothers have another shot at working this mission out...I know we can...the four of us together is the best team in the entire Foot Clan."
She slowly pulled away from him but dragged her arms across his shoulders, "You know I can't do that. I need Raph and Donnie where they are. But hey. Mikey's going with you tonight."
"Yea I guess..." He gently pulled her hands off him, stood up and walked out of the room. He had nothing left to say.
"Leo!" She said rather loudly. He stopped at the door. Still refusing to turn to face her. "Look...we've been working on this situation for four years...and we're not any closer to figuring it out...I just don't want to see you overcome with guilt."
"Too late for that, don't you think?" He added solemnly, only slightly turning his head to her so she could hear him better.
"Leo I'm just-"
"DON'T YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH!?" He finally snapped.
She stepped back slightly from being surprised by his outburst, but easily collected herself and assumed her normal less than friendly demeanor.
"Don't...start with me...Leo." Her teeth gritted, she was furious. But like any good leader she kept it contained...to a degree.
Leo turned back to her looking just as angry, but he couldn't hold it. He slumped and just looked sad, "I'm sorry..."
Karai raised an eyebrow. It wasn't like him to just apologize. She figured that if she had been in his situation she would be acting the same way. Although apologizing was difficult for her so she found it interesting that Leo could even manage it.
"Leo?" He turned his head from her but it was obvious he had started crying. The only thing she knew to do was walk behind him and put a "comforting" hand on his shoulder. Before she could even react to this "closeness" he whipped himself around and forced her into a tight embrace. Now she knew he was crying even though she still couldn't see his face.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I know you don't like this kind of stuff..."
She sighed. On her face she was clearly expressing that she wanted out of this already awkward hug, but also knew that there was probably no escape from it.
"I know you're just worried about me...but this whole thing...it's important to me that we solve this and avenge everyone who's suffered from it...since I survived that attack...I doubt I saw anything nearly as horrible as what the other victims ended up seeing..."
Karai gently pushed him away. His eyes were still welling up with tears, but he wouldn't look at her. "Leo...can you please...just tell me what happened that night they took you?"
Leo shook his head, "I already told you all the parts that needed to be shared. Any other information would just be a waste of time to tell."
"Are you just trying to protect me? You know I don't mind the gruesome stuff." She said as she crossed her arms.
He shook his head, "Don't worry about it...please. I'm fine...everything's fine." He managed to poorly smile at her, and finally left the room. Leaving Karai both worried for him, and pissed that she didn't get all the information that she had wanted.
"uuuuuunnnnhhhhhh"
April sat with her legs crossed in the dojo beside Splinter who was clearly trying to meditate. She couldn't help but grab her head in pain.
Splinter shook his head and looked back to her, "Get up."
The two stood up, April slower than Splinter, and they automatically bowed at each other. This had always been the way they began a spar. She knew she should have tried better to keep her moaning to herself.
She was so tired and it showed on her face. Splinter made the first move and went directly to one of her nerves. She lost motion in her arm and then he merely punched her in the arm and sent her flying into the wall. The fight was over VERY quickly.
"Do you see why we think about things we do before we do them? Foresight may be able to save you from needing to deal with hindsight April."
April nodded as he helped her up, "Hai, Sensei." Immediately after standing straight up she grabbed her head in pain.
Splinter rolled his eyes until he saw where he had punched her.
"April, you're bleeding. I did not hit you that hard." He joked.
She looked at it and giggled a little, "I went night hiking the other day-"
"By yourself?"
"...Yea...a-anyways, I took a bad step and fell on a rock. Looks like you just opened up the cut again. It's fine, it doesn't hurt."
Splinter sighed even though she was flashing him an obviously fake smile, "I remember a time not so long ago where if you even spilled one drop of blood there was someone right there beside you..."
She breathed in heavily and sighed as she covered the cut, "I don't want to talk about-...blood?..."
Splinter raised an eyebrow, "April?"
Her eyes grew wide. Clearly her mind was racing around trying to connect things. Splinter knew better than to say another word and have her focus break. She started to make weird noises as if she were able to barely gasp for breath, her eyes shook and she raised her hands to cover her mouth. Splinter had grown very concerned by this point. She grabbed his arms and smiled happily at him.
"THAT'S IT! Sensei, I'm sorry I have to cut the lesson short! I HAVE TO GO!"
She hugged him much to his surprise and she ran to her bag and the ran out of the lair.
Splinter smiled but then scoffed, "If she can run that fast now then I'll expect her to be able to do so next time." He chuckled as he walked away.
April slid her card key into the TCRI lab door so fast it didn't take and she dropped it. She struggled to pick it back up, she was shaking so hard she couldn't manage it.
Until a huge green hand picked it up next to her and even lifted her up under his arm.
"M-Mikey!" She yelled happily. She was trying to catch her breath.
His wide grin crossed his face as he slid the card for her and walked in without letting her down, "Geez April, what's got you actin' all crazy? I haven't seen you this happy since...uh...a while ago!"
She smiled as he finally put her down. "Quick! Open the door! Leo's here!"
Mikey raised an eyebrow and walked to the door to re-open it. Sure enough there was Leo about ready to knock, "Whoa...how did you know that?" Asked Mikey completely freaked out.
Leo ignored Mikey's statement and walked past him, "I got your text, what's up?" Asked Leo in an "I'm the eldest brother and I'm worried about you" tone.
She smiled happily as she pulled up her sleeve, "I'M BLEEDING!"
Both brothers looked completely freaked out and confused as they stood in silence. They looked at the cut on her arm that had already begun to heal by now.
"...Oh...kaaay...I'm gonna be the first to ask why this is a big deal?" Said Leo as he began to rub his temples with his hands.
"Yea. Do you...need a band-aid or something?" Asked Mikey just as confused.
She giggled happily as she started skipping to the giant computer in the room.
"Dude, she's gone insane." Whispered Mikey who was only met with a playful slap from Leo. They both walked by her as she started typing furiously on the computer.
"Every missing person, every dead victim we've found linking to this case...they have one thing in common! I'm so stupid! how could I have not figured it out before!?"
She looked so happy as she went through the computer. The two brothers looked very confused at each other as she opened up the files of all the victims.
"You both have said that if you found a body along with the symbol that there was blood everywhere right!?"
"Yes?" They said together hesitantly.
"Well what if...and I'm just thinking from a very crazy...CRAZY angle here...ahem...allow me to explain...how could there be massive amounts of blood everywhere if the victims were left in the very spot they were killed? Their bodies were scorched black with the ash but...other than the giant cuts in their stomachs...they only had bruising...no cuts of any kind on them."
"So we've got clean killers. Maybe they were drugged."
April happily shook her head, "No, we tested for that kind of stuff. What if we're not dealing with just a big gang...what if the murders aren't random...what if...the victims...couldn't bleed."
The brothers were still stuck in confusion, "What do you mean couldn't bleed? There was blood all over the place."
"Don't you see? When they were cut open it was like a dissection. So there was giant cut out hole instead of just a cut. They physically got inside the victims and sprayed out the blood themselves. The victims NEVER had any other cuts on them. The bodies we've found have always been burned..." Her eyes grew wide as she felt like she started to figure it out, or at least come up with an idea.
"They manage to kidnap their target. Nothing happens except for the symbol that's put up in the place of the kidnapping. We have NO idea what happened to them...but the people we did find...maybe put up so much resistance that they had no choice but to burn the victim to escape. They wouldn't want to risk hurting their victim so they just burn them if it comes to that and then they...take a random organ...always a random organ, but then why spill their blood anywhere?..."
Leo shook his head, "April, I appreciate you trying but when I was captured I was cut and attacked. There is no way that their trying not to hurt their victims."
She placed her hand to her chin and started shaking her head, "No,no,no, don't you see? You can bleed I've seen you bleed...they knew you bled...they WANTED your blood..."
Leo gritted his teeth and suddenly became very angry, "APRIL!"
She silenced herself and turned to him in a bit of shock from being taken form her current rant, "I was beaten, cut, sliced, burned, slashed, you name it! But they never took blood from me! You're wasting time with this! They kept me alive to suffer because they're sick and twisted!"
Aprils eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped open as she started thinking again, " ….That's it...of course they didn't kill you. They knew your blood was different...they hurt you because they wanted to see you heal...your mutagene makes you heal differently than us...your eye..."
She nervously looked to the scar on his left eye, "That was SO much worse when we saved you...you said that you were blind in that eye when it happened...you can see out of it now..." She froze. And slowly looked up to Leo more scared than she ever had been, "L-leo...I don't think they care so much for their new victims and that's why they've just been left at the crime scene...I think...they're looking for you..."
Leos eyes widened as well. Mikey looked just as scared as the two of them.
April placed her hand on her head, " We are DEFINITELY missing information, and we are absolutely no closer to finding out why but...Leo I think we're dealing with a full on, organized cult...and...they want you..."
Authors notes: Check my deviantart and tumblr for updates (links on my profile) see all of you in two weeks! Or for those that all read "Once Upon A While Ago" I'll see you next week.) :] Love loves!
