Chapter 2

Escapade

Shivering slightly, the beast within the cage growled low, hissing as footsteps echoed down the hall. It's cold eyes narrowed as the human man stood before it, smirking," Don't know WHO on earth would want something like you. You have to be the ugliest piece of filth I have seen in this business… and I've seen some ugly bitches." He laughed tastelessly.

A low growl was the only response he received.

"Eh, growl all you want. You fetched a nice price, I must say. So I guess I should thank you for that."

"Is it ready?" One of the security guards asked, ready to load the creature up into the truck, to take it to it's new owner.

"Aren't they all?" His boss gave an ugly laugh.

The creature would have reared up to snarl at them, but the chains around her throat prevented her. The chains around her ankles kept her from breaking this cage like a twig hut. And the chains that curled around her hands and tail caused her infinite pain.

But far worse then the pain was the humiliation. To be treated lower then an animal…

She snarled gutturally as she felt her cage being lifted by some machine, to be placed in an airplane carrier.

And for a moment, she wondered if she had died and gone to hell.

As they loaded her up, she was dimly aware that her skin was drying up. If she didn't get into water soon, she would dry out. And soon after, she would die… but death seemed a better choice then slavery.

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"You sure about this bro?" Mikey asked in doubtful tones as he helped Don set up the cameras and mikes… mostly, he was just getting underfoot.

"I'm positive, and be careful, would you?" Don snapped," You almost stepped on that mic!"

Donatello and Leatherhead took turns watching in checking the surveillance cameras. So far, nothing.

Every now and then, Donatello would go to the dump personally, haunting the place carefully as he tried strike the same luck that had been bestowed on Leatherhead.

As they combed through the traps they had laid, elsewhere in the city, a shipment had just arrived… a shipment which very, very few knew about. In the cargo of the small, privately owned plane, there was a crate… And all at once, the crate started to thump. It shivered, vibrated, and all at once, one of the boards was splintered.

The hole in the crate grew, until enough room allowed the creature within to slip out.

Growling, it quickly opened the hatch of the plane, looking around before slipping out, barely squeezing through, it dashed off for the side of the runway, towards a body of water.

"HEY!"

"STOP THAT THING!"

A gun was fired, and the beast roared, but didn't stop until it was in the water…

8~8~8~8~8~8

The newspaper was out the next day with a huge front page picture.

A large, shadowy form was shown, moving underwater… it looked like a sea monster.

There was a warning for people to stay out of the hudson river, where it was last seen.

Mermaid looked up from the paper and at her brothers and husband.

Donatello was talking with Leo," It might be an escaped monster from Bishop's lab!"

"If so, let him deal with it. We have bigger problems."

"But Leo, this thing might be dangerous! You remember the Rat King, don't you?"

Mermaid broke in, reluctantly," Leo, we can't ignore one problem to solve another. Besides, perhaps we might split up? Into two groups?"

Leo looked between Mermaid and Don and then at Raph, who shoot him a suspicious look," What are you looking' at me for?"

"Raph, you, Leatherhead, and Venus and Mikey go and check out this monster thing. Me, Donnie and Mermaid will keep on the look-out for these goons."

"How long will this require me to keep away from my wife?" Raph glowered.

Mermaid smiled shyly. It never ceased to amaze her how protective Raphael still was, even after the past few years. She went to him and hugged him," Raph, please, listen to Leo. This is important." she whispered meekly.

He blushed as he looked into her sincere, sweet, jade-blue eyes and nodded," Ok, Mermaid… if it makes you happy."

She sighed," I can never be happy, being away from you… But if that's what it takes, then that's how it must be." She smiled.

He ruffled her maroon hair gently, kissing her cheek. She had allowed her hair to grow out some, to cover the ugly scars on the back of her neck. The rest of the scars, she couldn't hide. They were burned onto her calves, shoulders and anywhere her flesh was exposed.

Leo added," Hey, I'll be separated from the love of my life, too!"

Raph muttered under his breath as he nodded affirmative," Fine. I'll do it."

"Ok, gang. Let's get to it!"

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"Uh… why am I down here again?" Mikey asked with a shudder as he looked around the silent river.

"We're monster-hunting, Mike." Raph responded flatly.

Venus was suddenly still, as her doe-like amber eyes narrowed," Something… something is watching us. From the water."

Leatherhead looked at Raph, who nodded," Let's go get 'em."

Leatherhead dove into the river, followed by Raph and Mikey.

The Venus waited, a tad nervous as she studied the ripples in the water. She closed her eyes, focusing in on the still mind that she sensed, and tried to reach it tentatively," We are friends… we mean no harm…"

The mind recoiled in fear and… intense anger. And all at once, the river came alive.

Thrashing and bellowing, Leatherhead was wrestling with a form nearly as large as his, nearly as powerful… but far more aggressive, and, if possible, more at home in the water. Raph and Mikey both swarmed in close as they tried to bring it down with the pressure point that was common for reptiles…

However, the retile didn't go down… didn't even SLOW down.

It fought harder, struggling roaring… and drawing human attention.

Venus gasped as a strobe light from a helicopter flashed dangerously over the water.

She hissed as she concentrated energy in her palm and sent it flying towards the light, breaking the bulb. She then sank to the ground, legs folded, as she endeavored once again to reach the frightened mind of the creature her brothers were fighting.

"We are friends… please, calm down… don't be afraid… stop struggling…"

At the same time, she warned the others to stop fighting with the creature.

Mikey and Raph both backed off, until it was just Leatherhead and the creature. Leatherhead let go, and the creature hissed dangerously, revealing sharp, barracuda like teeth.

Venus tried harder, to reach the frightened mind, but to her surprise, her communication was thrown off and cut down with contempt.

The creature then dove… and Leatherhead dove in pursuit.

"Oh shell!" Mikey whispered.

Venus warned," We have to vanish!" as another strobe light ran over the surface of the foaming water.

Raph made a split second decision," This way!" and dove beneath the surface of the waves.

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Leatherhead was amazed. This creature was fast.

There was no other word of it.

Deeper and deeper they went, until they were skimming the bottom. He growled as he tried to catch up, finally gaining on as the creature tired.

Suddenly, it turned, and Leatherhead clawed the water as he tried to turn as well. The creature had entered a sewer pipe and he navigated with difficulty as the slighter creature wove through the water filled tunnels, finally bursting out out of the water, it panted as it tried to continue on foot, but Leatherhead blocked it's path, attempting to speak," I'm not here to harm you. I'm here to help you."

"Right." the creature hissed, and he discovered, with chagrin, that it was a female. Back at the river, the light hadn't been very good, but now, in the scant light of the sewer, he could make out the curves and delicacy of her wrists and tail.

In fact…

He looked over her closer, trying to classify her.

She appeared almost reptilian, but she was much faster and agile in the water, hinting at an amphibian trait. Her face was shaped like a cross between a snake's and a horses, with long, slender ears draped down her graceful neck. She had silken hair, which was bright gold and cut short… all around her neck… Leatherhead's eyes narrowed Mermaid's hair had been the same way when she was found…

The creature's skin coloring was dark, dark blue, highlighted by lighter blue spots. From her neck, flowing over her torso and down between her inner thighs and legs was a cream color… and here he averted his eyes slightly. She didn't have scales. Nor armoring…. This female was in need of clothing. He looked into her face, wincing as the level of her growling increased," I will not be taken. I will not be a slave to ANYONE'S will!"

"And i would do no such thing." Leatherhead responded in a low rumble," I know what it is like to be held captive. To be tortured. I wouldn't reciprocate the act. Whoever you are running from, i can help you, hide you. Maybe even send you back home."

Her eyes now filled with a mixture of distrust, despair and hope," Could you really? My home…" she gave a heavy sigh," I am… I am not of this earth."

He sucked in his breath," Who are you?"

"My name is Narikuma," She was beginning to relax slightly as she asked," Who are you?"

"I am called Leatherhead."

She shrank back slightly as he took a step closer. Backing up, Leatherhead told her," I will not hurt you… but I can't prove this to you… If you leave, you will be lost in a world you don't know. The people here do not except those who are different from them."

The creature took in her breath warily before nodding curtly," Very well. I will come."

Leatherhead turned and started to lead her down the darkened tunnels. She followed, warily, as she waded through the sewer water, growling warningly every now and then when he turned to look at her.

Leatherhead tried not to do so… but she was so quiet, sometimes he wondered if perhaps she was even there.

She was nearly his height, and though she was feminine, she was very strong. It was probably her species… whatever she was.

"What are you?" he asked involuntarily, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I am of the Sea People. The Water Dwellers. I am Water Dragon." She responded," That is the translation in Basic. My language… Perhaps you could learn it. But it is very, very different from Basic."

"I am not surprised." Leatherhead replied wryly," Your planet?"

"Mostly water. Some land. There are Land Dwellers, Earth dragons… You look like one of them." she added with a smile," A little, that is. Very little. I see you are designed for the water, as am I."

"Yes…" Leatherhead rumbled as he kept himself from looking back at her. She sounded almost friendly… he didn't want that to end suddenly and without warning.

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Raphael and Michelangelo both panted in exhaustion as Venus tried to find the traces of a trail.

"Hmm…" she murmured an incantation and nodded," This way."

"Poor Leatherhead… I hope he's ok."

"Of course he is! He's the biggest, baddest croc around, Mikey!" Raph tried to assure his little brother brusquely, but he wondered the same thing.

Venus replied," he is well. They both are. The creature was intelligent… very much so… I do not think he is in any danger."

Raphael muttered under his breath as the three broke into a run again.

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Narikuma suddenly paused, her yellow eyes dilating as she snarled, whirling around the opposite direction as her long ears flickered.

Leatherhead turned, and asked," What is it-"

POW!

She had turned and tackled him, her hands clamped around his snout, she hissed," You betrayed me!"

"HEY! FIN-HEAD! WHY DON'T YOU PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!" Raphael yelled in fury as he came from behind.

Narikume turned as Raphael leapt at her, and she used her long, whip-like tail to knock him aside.

Michelangelo was next as he followed through with Raphael's attack, using Narikuma's tail-swipe as a springboard to get in closer, knocking her off of Leatherhead.

Leatherhead growled as he got to his feet and quickly hauled both Mikey and Raphael away from the female water dragon and roared at them," STOP FIGHTING BEFORE I KNOCK YOU BOTH INTO OBLIVION!"

Raph and Mikey both stared, a bit speechless, as leatherhead put them down and looked over his shoulder at the Water Dragon. She was panting, her eyes were still dilated, but she wasn't in a defensive mode… she was watching them, observing.

Thank heavens…

"She is a captive who escaped. Someone stole her from her homeworld and brought her here… to sell her, am I right?" Leatherhead turned to her, and she nodded sullenly.

"You mean…" Mikey gaped as Leatherhead added," i think we may have another link."

"What do you mean?" Narikuma growled quietly.

Leatherhead turned to her," Last year, Raphael rescued a female of his kind. She had been sold as a slave to someone who used her terribly. We have since been searching for the slave chain that deals in non-humans. It is my belief that you came from the same slave chain she did."

"I… I believe you may be right, Leatherhead." she rumbled quietly, adding," I… I believe you. You know too much to be lying. If you can help me… then I will do ALL in my power and ability to help you." She rumbled quietly," beginning with clothes… My kind is a modest one." she said wryly.

Venus nodded in sympathy as she stepped forward," I can help with that. I am Venus."

"My name is Narikuma… But you may call me Nari."

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