Two:
The room was in shrouded in darkness but that was just how Hattori Tatsu liked it. The new Foot Headquarters were not as impressive as the one which had been used when the Shredder was in power but they were adequate. After everything that had transpired from Shredder's reign over the Clan they had needed to find somewhere discreet. It was a warehouse, tucked away behind a number of other warehouses; the majority of which were used for storage and rarely accessed. This building did not look like it housed the next generation of the Clan but that was the beauty of it. Like the Trojan Horse, it held something powerful inside and when the time was right they would rise and regain control of this City; destroying anything which got in the way, including those green shelled freaks. Tatsu hated mutants. They were un-natural. Shredder had been too soft, not good enough to rule over the Foot, the day he 'disappeared' couldn't have happened soon enough and Tatsu was more than willing to step up and take over.
The Shredder's own 'army' of mutants - Bebop and Rocksteady - were still incarcerated and that would likely be the way of things for some time to come; Tatsu didn't need them anyway, he had his own plan and that plan involved the Spear of Oyu, taken from his homeland and shipped here. The Spear had been rumour, myth, and now it was real. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He had been raised on stories of legends which his mother had always taught him to believe and his father, his father had taught him how to fight.
A sharp knock on the door awoke him from his thoughts.
"Enter"
A single Foot Soldier stepped into the room, he immediately lowered his head in a bow: "Master Tatsu"
"What news?"
"The press are in conference for the next few days then the exhibit will be moved"
Tatsu gave a brief nod: "Good"
That would be their chance.
"And what of our latest recruits?"
"They are progressing well Master"
Tatsu got up "Very good. I shall be down to inspect their progress, make sure they are ready"
The Soldier stood stiffly and offered another single bow, leaving the room, and Tatsu, alone. Now they would need to contact the Purple Dragons - the street gang used purely as an ear to the ground. This would be their chance to show their loyalty to the Foot and play at being the distraction.
Leonardo was using the space in the dojo to his own advantage. Master Splinter had taught him that he would only ever improve with practice which is why he would always use any spare time he had to do just that. Raphael called him a suck up - Leonardo thought of himself as a perfectionist and what was wrong with that?
"Guys! April's here!" Michelangelo's shrill voice echoed throughout the Lair "And she's bought pizza! How great is she?!"
It was Friday. April always bought pizza on a Friday. That had been their routine for the past several months and yet the youngest still announced it like it was something new.
After hanging up his weapons he took a deep breath, prayed for his sanity and went to the lounge.
"Angel cakes, you know I love you right?" Michelangelo had a mouthful of pizza and was proceeding in his attempt to speak at the same time "You need to dump Jones and follow your heart. You know I'm the one for you"
After the events of last year Casey and April had become a lot closer; Michelangelo was still sulking about it. April tolerated his constant flirting and even laughed at it. Leonardo thought she demonstrated far too much patience.
"Don't talk when you eat! No-one wants to see your mouth full of chewed mush" growled Raphael as he took a slice from one of the three open boxes.
"I'm emotional!" whined Michelangelo throwing his arms about "You know what it's been like since Casey took my girl!"
"If dad were here you'd be more than emotional" added Leonardo "Manners like that you'd be in the Hashi"
Raphael smirked and fist bumped his older brother "Minus pizza.."
April moved her chair round ready to sit on it: "Where is Splinter anyway?"
"He's in his room. Studying or meditating or something - said he didn't want to be disturbed. It was after your report" Raphael took a huge bite of his slice and popped open his can.
"You were great B.T.W. As always" said Michelangelo as he lightly knocked into her shoulder, nearly causing her to fall off her chair in the process.
"Are you going back?" Donatello sat next to her, his eyes shining with excitement "I wish I could go there, you're so lucky"
"You can go instead of me if you want" joked April "Never really been one for history so this has been a challenge" She tore part of the crust off her pizza and popped it in her mouth.
"You can do anything you put your mind to babe" Michelangelo shoved a handful of fries into his mouth "You're a natural" A spattering of potato dispersed over the table much to Raphael's annoyance.
"Mikey! Say it don't spray it!" He smacked his brother roughly on the back of the head.
"Do you know much about the Spear?" asked Leonardo. He, like Donatello, was interested, though perhaps not to the same extreme.
"No. Not a great deal apart from what we heard on the day. A lot of reporters are going back for a second interview but Rita doesn't see that as a priority. We covered the unveiling and that's all we need"
"Really? This is one of the most exciting finds in decades and to have permission to hold it here, well, I for one think it's incredible and would love a closer look" gushed Donatello
"You would" snorted Raphael
"You'll have to watch another channel then because we won't be covering it - sorry Donnie" She gently touched his arm "I hear Channel 3 are doing a Special"
The noise of a door creaking open got their attention, upon seeing Splinter, Michelangelo sat up straight and and wiped his mouth.
"Hello April" The old rat moved over to the table "I trust you are being taken care of" He looked at the scattered pizza boxes and bits of potato which littered the surface "Michelangelo!"
"What sensei?" The orange banded turtle looked up at him innocently.
"Clean up this mess!"
"It was Raph!" protested Mikey.
"You little..." Raphael shot up from his chair.
"No need Raphael. I know it is Michelangelo - it is always Michelangelo" He sucked in a breath "Get a cloth from the kitchen and clear this mess up right NOW!"
The group edged away from the table and took up residence on the comfy chairs leaving Michelangelo to tidy up under the watchful stare of Splinter.
"He tries. You gotta give him that" noted Donatello, a light smile playing on his lips.
"Yeh, and if he tries that again I'm gonna break him" Raphael slammed down onto the sofa.
"Where's Case tonight?" inquired Leonardo as he pulled out a beanbag and sat down.
"He is working... as always" answered April wistfully "I'm trying to convince him to take some time off so we can do something together, get away for a few days. He hasn't had a break for months and what with work and his hockey commitments I never get to see him.."
Casey had long hung up his hockey stick as a vigilante and used it for hockey only; being a cop was a much more realistic option and of course he got paid for that. He hadn't given up on his dream of making Detective but he'd convinced himself to put it on hold for a while in order to get some more experience out in the field.
"The demands of a relationship" mused Raphael "And that's why I'm single"
Leonardo smiled and shook his head. Though his brothers could joke about it he didn't like to; an eternity of being alone was hardly appealing but unless they grew female mutant turtles a relationship of any kind was not looking likely. The only science company in NYC, TCRI, had long since been shut down and the workers transferred upstate to a more secure facility. Baxter Stockman was well and truly out of business and whilst Leonardo was pleased for the people of New York, least they could rest easy, he couldn't help but think that would mean no more mutants. Ever. He had never wanted to be human and always accepted himself for what he was but the older he got the more he thought about the future and what it would mean for him and his family.
"What you brooding about?" Leonardo glanced up to see Raphael staring at him "You look like you're about to have a problem"
"No. Not really. Just thinking about TCRI"
"Why da heck would you give any time to that place?" Raphael sat himself forward "It's over and done"
"I know" Leonardo wrung out his hands "And I know it's good, it's good for everyone. Means we can sleep soundly"
"In Manhattan? Never. Just because we're not involved in a huge operation don't mean that folk don't need us. You know that"
The eldest lowered his eyes "I know, you're right, I know"
Raphael stood up "Leo, you feeling okay? You just said I was right?" He slapped a hand on his brother's shoulder, not needing to say anything else. Perks of having brothers - you can always wind each other up. As if to demonstrate that fact, Raphael grabbed a pizza box and removed another slice whilst dropping crumbs on Michelangelo's freshly wiped table and telling the youngest that he'd missed a bit.
"The spear has been written about in very few books - all speculation of course" Splinter was sitting next to April, Donatello held court on the opposite side. Leonardo scooted his beanbag over to join them. Technically it was Michelangelo's beanbag bright red and covered in superhero's - Donatello had found it; he was the one who sourced most of their furniture. Donatello was not just resident doctor and scientist he was also an expert at scavenging.
"When I heard your report I remembered a picture from a book I had - couldn't recall which exact book - that is why I was so long" Splinter had at least fifty books in his room - Leonardo knew this because he had often ventured in there to borrow one.
"It's small" revealed April as Splinter passed her the book "Smaller than you would think". The picture which Splinter had found was no more than a sketch.
"The Japanese believe that the Spear can be used for good as well as evil. It is more of a weapon in witchcraft than in any hunt, the obvious decoration should have given indication of that" He chuckled to himself.
Though Splinter was in fact drawing attention to an error April decided to blame Vern - after all it had been his misconception that all spears were used that way. Trust Vern to think of something so primitive. Present embarrassment on hold, she'd scold him tomorrow.
"It is beautiful" muttered April.
"Like you Angel Cakes" piped up Michelangelo from his location by the TV.
Splinter glared at him.
"How was it something can go from Legend into reality?" asked Leonardo, feeling that it would be much better to keep the conversation on track.
"Evidence leads to fact my son. The existence of most relics is speculative until they find proof, and that is the fascination which they bring, like a mystery asking to be solved"
Donatello leaned closer to look at the sketch "This looks primitive - do they know how old it is?"
"Ancient" Splinter got up "Rather like me" He laughed out loud "I'll leave you young ones to it - see what else I can find"
"Let me know" April stood up too and ran her hands down her jeans.
"Of course"
"I will too" added Donatello as he jumped up. They all looked at him blankly "What? You think that I'm not going to research this? I mean, how well do you guys know me?" He scurried off to his lab.
"And bye to you too" giggled April. She planted a kiss on Mikey's head and briefly hugged the others before leaving.
"You should have offered her a lift" suggested Leonardo as he sat back down.
Michelangelo shot up from his chair: "She has her car upside buuuut, I could carry her to said car! Hey, great idea bro! Nice one!" He ran off shouting 'April' and 'Angel Cakes'. Raphael released a long held breath.
"Thanks Leo. He is on fire tonight.. so, I'm gonna head off to bed before he gets back"
Leonardo couldn't help but think that was a good call.