Aaaand... another oneshot. I should do my German homework right now. It's about two pages to write. I also should do English and Maths and look at my Spanish vocabs. But hey... Writing is more than a passion. It's my life. And this plot bunny needed to be gotten rid of.
Automobiles are not ferocious... it is man who is to be feared.
[Robbins B. Stoeckel]
Truck Hunt
"Where is the car?"
It was meant to be a normal evening. Get the battle shell. Drive it over to April's. Get her and Casey in. Fetch some ice cream and a movie on the way.. Drive home. They had all been in a good mood. Not even Leo's suggestion to do a little training on April's rooftop could change the mood. They thought it would be an easy night. It is going to be one of the longest in their lives.
Because now they all stand in the parking garage where they keep the Shell Cycle, and the Battle Shell, some of Donnie's gear and the hidden entrance to the stone elevator. Everything's just fine. Except that the car is gone.
"What do you mean, where is the car?" Leonardo comes out of the elevator behind his brothers. Splinter decided to stay home tonight and wait for the movie there. So it took Leo longer than normally to leave. Go figure.
"It's not here, Mr. Genius." With that sarcastic remark, Donnie steps aside and allows his oldest brother to take a look at the dark garage. It is still full to the ceiling with stuff, but there is a wide rectangle spot that's empty. Formed like their truck. Which is gone.
"When I find Raphael, I'm gonna-" Leo starts to growl. He is interrupted by a decent cough. "I'm right here, Fearless", Raph sighs and waves his hands half-heartedly. Leo blushes slightly and decides to ignore the matter. He walks out into the room and starts to look at the workbench and behind the Shell Cycle. He is not sure what he is trying to find here. But searching helps to calm his mind.
"Did we leave it somewhere?" Donnie suggests at the same time Raph growls "This is not happening." They look at each other, but break the exe contact with a sigh. "Let's check some of our usual spots", Leo says and opens the garage door. He looks around cautiously for a second, but no one is in sight. They file out silently and enter the rooftops via the nearest rotten building's fire escape.
The way to the docks is not far. There is no sign of their truck.
Raph suggests Central Park. They make their way through the city without a sound, but the hot-headed brother is swearing softly under his breath. When they reach the trees, they have to get into the park via manhole, because elseway they'd have to cross a busy street.
There is no massive camouflaged ex-army truck waiting for them in Central Park, and it's getting late. While they make their way towards the bigger buildings, aiming for the foot tower, Donatello calls April. She doesn't answer her phone, but he leaves a message. "April, it's Don. We are on our way, but we can't find the car. Don't worry. I'll call again." He snaps the shell cel shut just when they reach the last 'small' house before the skyscrapers loom above them. They have to go down and through alleys from here, because no fire escape reaches this high. But no matter how much they look into every corner, there is no sign of their trucks. There isn't even foot ninja around.
"I have a baaaaad feeling about that", Leo sighs when they climb the fire escape of the same building they went down half an hour ago. "What if someone stole it?"
Donnie snorts. "Who would steal an old army vehicle? It's not really hard to find- normally", he quickly adds when Raph shoots him an annoyed look. "I mean, it's not like NY is a quiet little city with empty streets and hiding places all over it. Driving a truck like that is a high risk. I bet the police is already searching for it. Besides, it's stealing- proof. I made sure of that."
Leo stares at his younger brother with something close to disbelief. "When it's obvious and stupid like that, why do we even have a car like that? Isn't that nuts?"
"Because", Don starts and then hesitates and thinks about it for a second. Raph snorts. "Because it's not likely to kill us when we crash something. It's big enough for us, weapons, technology and a small first-aid-base. Let me remind you that we'd be dead by now if it weren't for the truck's medical equipment?"
There is a short moment of silence in which they just stare at each other.
"There is our DNA in that truck", Leo slowly says. Raph nodds. "Our sweat 'nd blood is all over dat place." Donnie's olive green skin pales visibly. "And Shredder definitely got his ways to open that car."
"Hun could, too", Raph reminds them.
"And Bishop", Leo whispers.
A wind blows their bandana to the side which has a dramatic effect. None of them notice. They are busy imagining what would happen if Bishop got hold of their DNA. Evil, dark clones spook through their minds. And the fact that no foot ninja are roaming the streets tonight is suddenly everything but comforting to them.
"Oh shit, we have to find that truck", Donnie whispers, and Leo doesn't even stop and lecture him about swearing. They just run, as fast as their legs (and the wide gaps between the rooftops) allow them. Towards.. towards...
"Where are we running to?" Don asks, already gasping for air. Leo stops, and Raph bumps into him. "I have no idea", he admits. "Let's make a plan." They skidder to a complete stop and sit down in a circle. Leo frowns, and Don's eyes narrow. Raph looks.. pissed. But he normally does, so there's no telling what he's thinking.
Everyone jumps about six feet in the air when Leo's shell cel rings. "Whoa", the leader says and tries to look cool, but his heart hammers as if it were about to jump from his chest and explode with a boom. "Whoa", he says again, but it still sounds shocked and confused rather than cool.
"Won't you answer it?" Donnie suggests and Leo shoots him a look that is meant to be a glare but turns out to look like Duh.
"Yo, Leo", a well-known voice says. "Whadd'sup?"
"Mikey?" Leonardo asks confused. Then he looks around. Looks at his phone. Shoots his brothers a glance, who look like he feels. "Mikey, he says again. Somehow he has to say everything twice tonight.
"Yo, dude, who else but your charming, good-looking brother? I'm waiting for you guys for about two hours now and we're all kinda worried. I mean, we got your message and all that, but still. What's taking you so long?"
"Wha- you're at April's? Why? How? I don't..." Leo is totally confused now. He looks at Raph, who shruggs, no less confused, and looks at Donnie. The genius brother picked up a particularily interesting bug from the roof and is studying. "Huh, what?" he asks when his brothers stare him down.
"Yo, dude", Mikey replies, clearly sulking now. "Did'cha forget about me? I told Donnie just this evening. I'm gonna drive the truck over to April's right now. The traffic's gonna take some time to get through', I said. Wait for me at April's, I said." Yes, clearly sulking. Leo shakes his head in disbelief. He told Donnie? But before he can say something, Mikey goes on. "I know Don doesn't always listen, so I told Raph, too, and you, thinking about it. You were reading, but hey, you're supposed to be the listening-big-brother one, right? So where are you?"
"We'll be there in a minute", Leo answers mechanically. "Wait for us." He cuts off Mikey's "Sure thing, du-" and closes his cel. Then he looks at his brothers, and suddenly he is very, very tired. "I got the truck", he says, and his voice sounds strained. "Let's go."
Like the true ninja they are, the three brothers disappear in the night.
The city lies below them, silent and, once more, safe.