Chapter 2 Bombs and Break-ins

Morning arrived and left, rolling quickly by for those who were unaware of the time. It was a rather groggy Donatello who reached out for the clock. 11:53AM. The young turtle bolted upright, dislodging something that landed on the floor with a squeak. He'd seriously overslept! Why hadn't Mikey woken him up?! Why hadn't he- That's when Donnie caught sight of Michelangelo's teddy bear lying on the floor. He swung his legs out of bed and reached down to pick it up.

Even when he wasn't here, Mikey obviously didn't want to leave his brother completely alone, like in a bout of childlike whimsy when you once believed that your most beloved toy had a soul. They could keep anyone company. Donnie produced a gentle smile and placed the teddy bear back on his bed. He quickly donned his gear and left his room.

Donnie instinctively headed for the dojo; no doubt that was everyone would be. He was only halfway when he caught sight of April. She was utilising the space at the back of the lair, practising the newest move that Master Splinter had taught her.

Forgetting everything else, Donnie stopped and couldn't help but watch. Her movements were so fluid and graceful, whether she realised it or not. He wasn't sure how long he stood there; drawn in by the intense concentration that held her statuesque features. Time ceased to have any meaning.

The spell was finally broken when April overbalanced herself executing a roundhouse kick. Donnie darted forward, catching her as she fell before he realised what he was doing.

"You have to watch your feet there April."

"Thanks Donnie," April uttered. "I thought I had that."

"You were doing well up until that point."

"You've been watching?" She glanced up. "For how long?"

"Oh, I um-," Donnie's flustered explanation was thankfully interrupted by the unmistakable sound of his brothers as they left the dojo.

"Hey Donnie!" Raph's strong voice carried across the lair. "Heard you missed training because you were up babysitting Mikey all night!"

"Huh?" Donatello looked somewhat confused as his brothers came into view.

"The dork was reading his horror comics last night. That's one job I wouldn't want!"

"Hey!"

Raph cuffed Mikey about the back of the head before his bright green eyes caught sight of Donnie. "There we are working our butts off and what are you doing? Dancing with April!"

"What?" With a sudden flush of embarrassment, Donnie was aware that he still held April in his arms. He hastily let her go and the others snickered. "April tripped."

"Whatever you say Donnie," Raph quipped.

Mikey giggled and Leo struggled to keep the smile off his face. He failed. "Master Splinter said that he will see you now April."

"Thanks Leo," the pretty redhead smiled, unwittingly touching Donnie's shoulder before leaving for the dojo.

"So, what moves did you show you girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend and I wasn't dancing!" Donnie protested hotly.

"Sure."

Donnie spun about. "Zip it Mikey!" After such a dreadful night, he was in no mood for any of their teasing. He roughly pushed through them and stalked in the direction of his lab.

"Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Leo muttered. He knew April could tend to be a sensitive topic for his younger brother but he usually wasn't this touchy.

The moment Donatello left, the smile was immediately wiped from Mikey's face. He darted after him, reaching for his arm. "Donnie! Hey Donnie wait up!"

"Leave it out Mikey!" Donatello snapped, shrugging away the hand that brushed against his shoulder. "I've had enough!"

Mikey persisted and grabbed Donnie by the ridge of his shell. "Donnie!" He wrenched him round.

"What!?"

For a second Mikey shied back a step as Donatello towered over him. "You do know I was just playing along, right?" He said quietly.

The anger faded from Donnie's features as quickly as it had arrived and his rigid stance relaxed. "Oh," he uttered, not really knowing what else to say.

"I just wanted you to know I didn't mean it."

"Okay," the purple banded turtle nodded.

Michelangelo's smile returned, reassured that his brother knew and turned to leave.

"Hey Mikey?"

Mikey glanced back. "Yeah bro?"

Donnie hesitated. "Thanks for, covering for me."

"Hey! What are brothers for?"

Donnie found himself grinning as he watched Mikey caper off. He finally turned and carried on to his lab. He had some shurikens to adapt.

The next morning came and went without incident but Donatello still slept with the light on. It was early evening when April rushed into the lair bearing her laptop. "Guys! Check this out," she slid the computer onto the kitchen table and flipped up the lid. "Someone just posted this for me, a video of a suspected break-in. I think it might be a Kraang warehouse."

Leo, Raph and Mikey had just gathered around the April's laptop when an explosion suddenly shook the walls of the lair.

"Earthquake!"

"Thay don't have earthquakes in New York you dork," Raph responded to Mikey's panicked squeal, punching him in the shoulder.

Purple smoke billowed out of Donatello's lab and Leonardo suppressed a groan. "That's the second time today," he muttered. "Donnie! Are you sure you're not trying to blow us all up?"

A series of coughs escaped the quickly dissipating smoke and Donnie soon staggered out. "Okay, I won't be using flash powder in that combination again."

"Donnie, have you got a moment? April has something to show us."

That was the magic word. "Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah," Donnie wasted no more time. He joined them; unaware of the soot that blackened the front of him caused by the blast of his unsuccessful experiment.

"It's from a phone and a bit blurry but check it out for yourselves," April sat back as she started the video, failing to hide the smile at Donnie's appearance as he hovered over her shoulder.

"What makes you think this is a Kraang warehouse April?"

April's eyes flitted up to Leo's before looking back at her laptop. "Because of this," she pointed to the screen.

The video showed a view which had been taken from a high window but what it showed was obviously several broken crates with abandoned Kraang tech spilling out of them.

"If this is a break-in where are the thieves?" Raph said flatly.

"That's just it, the outside of the building was completely untouched but someone had definitely got in, somehow."

Leo folded his arms as he analysed the screen. "Well, whoever it is we can't afford to let that disused Kraang technology to fall into the wrong hands. I say we-"

"April stop!"

Leo frowned as Donnie interrupted, clearly not paying attention to anything his brother had just said.

Without thinking Donatello leant over April's shoulder. "Rewind the video back a bit."

Leo stepped closer, his annoyance swiftly disappearing. "What have you seen Donnie?"

April leant away slightly as Donnie inadvertently pushed into her space as she slid her cursor across the screen to rewind the video.

"That's it, stop!" A couple of seconds passed and Donnie pointed at the screen. "There! There! Can you see it?"

The others were clearly confused. "Not with your finger in the way genius," Raph said gruffly.

It was only then that Donnie realised how much he'd invaded April's personal space and immediately shied back, his rush of embarrassment thankfully hidden by the mask of soot. "Sorry," he muttered with a sheepish gap tooth grin. "April, may I?" He pointed to the laptop.

With a slight smile the girl stood and allowed Donnie to slip behind her computer. He quickly replayed the video and paused it. After a few deft taps he looked up at the others. "I saw movement in the corner of the screen, and I think I know what it is."

"What?" Raph said impatiently.

"This," Donnie tapped the keyboard once more and the image he had paused magnified.

The three brothers started as a familiar metallic form was suddenly presented.

"Ah no! Please tell me that isn't what I think it is."

Donnie sighed. "Sorry Raph but it is."

"Mousers," Leo uttered with a shake of his head. He had his fill of those little terrors to last him a lifetime.

April looked puzzled. "Mousers? What are mousers?"

"Do you remember when we went to retrieve your phone from the Purple Dragons?"

April nodded.

Leo continued. "Well, me and Raph spent half the night being chased by thousands of these things."

"Are they dangerous?"

"On mass? Yeah, I'd say they were dangerous but pretty easy to destroy."

"What are they for? I mean, who made these things?"

"They were built by Baxter Stockman," Donnie cut in. "Designed so they could excavate into bank vaults."

"So now he's after Kraang technology?"

"It wouldn't be the first time he's managed to gain access to it," Donnie stated dryly.

"Well, I'd say our objective is pretty clear then. We gain access to this warehouse and prevent Stockman from laying his hands on any more Kraang tech."

"How?"

"Quite simply we destroy the technology."

"Destroy?"

"Yes Donnie, that's the only way to prevent Stockman from reclaiming any more."

"B-but-"

Leonardo huffed with exasperation. "What is it Donnie?"

"Wouldn't it be better if we could salva-"

"Ho oh no Donnie!" Leo was putting his foot down on this one. "The technodrome is at the bottom of the ocean and that's where I would like it to stay. The less Kraang technology there is out there the better. Anything that's left that could help facilitate them from their current predicament is a risk I am not willing to take."

"But the things I could learn from-"

"Donnie!"

Donatello stammered into silence and bit his bottom lip. He looked like a kicked puppy as he stared back at his eldest brother. He was always hurt whenever Leo shut him down so abruptly.

Seeing that particular look, Leonardo held his smart brother's wounded gaze and finally sighed, rolling his eyes back. "Fine," he conceded. "We go to the warehouse, let Donnie salvage what he needs and then destroy the rest of the tech," he threw Donnie a warning glare when he looked ready to object again. "That's the compromise Donnie."

Not wanting to push his luck Donatello nodded. "Okay Leo," a few salvaged items were better than none at all.

"You want to join us on this one April?" Leo asked as he drew back.

April was silent for a moment. It was true that after her ordeal she wanted to eliminate as much Kraang technology that was left out there as she could. However her father was growing increasingly protective of her for obvious reasons.

"What do you say April?"

April could feel an involuntary smile quirk at the sides of her mouth at the sound of Donnie's expectant voice. She knew that whilst she was with them there was no way they would allow any harm to befall her, especially Donnie.

"Definitely," April answered with a confident nod.

"Great," Leo looked back at his younger brother. "You think you could rig something up that could take out all the tech in one shot Donnie?"

It only took Donatello a second to reply. "No problem."

"Good, you get that together and then we'll head out."

Donnie nodded, about to head back to his lab when April unexpectedly snagged his arm. "What is it April?"

"You might want to wash yourself off first."

Donnie gazed back completely perplexed. With a smile the girl briefly brushed a gentle hand against his cheek (which made him catch his breath), and held it up for her friend to see.

Donatello's stance at the sight of the sooty hand instantly deflated. "Seriously?" He glared back at his brothers. "Why didn't any of you tell me?" He said with an undertone of annoyance. "I must look utterly ridiculous!"

"That's one word for it."

Donnie glowered at Raph. "Why?"

"We were just waiting to see how long it take for you to notice," Raph grinned.

"Thanks a lot Raphael."

"Any time Donnie."

Turning to leave, Donnie caught sight of Mikey. He raised his eye ridges as if to ask, 'Well?' It was sheepish looked he received in return and that look said it all. He hadn't been playing along that time. He was in on the joke. Donnie just sighed and shook his head.