Emily froze. She could have sworn she heard her brothers' screams down that one tunnel. To her frustration, she was still blinded, tied up, and hopelessly lost.

For the moment though, nothing mattered except that one single tunnel. She crawled as swiftly as she could on the cold ground. She stopped once more as she

heard the familiar voice again.

"Take that you overgrown powder puff!" Emily had never been happier to hear that angry shout.

She half expected the joke that followed. "Yeah, Twinkle-toes! Go twinkle your huge feet somewhere else! And don't you think about coming back!"

"Hang on Mikey, I think that monster knocked my other sai out this way." Her brothers were getting closer.

Emily was so happy she couldn't bring the words to her mouth. Luckily, she didn't need to. She didn't trust her voice right now. She could feel the tears through

her blindfold.

"OH SHELL! EMILY!" Raph screeched.

"EMILY! Am I glad to see you!" Mikey squealed. The next thing he said was cracked with emotion. "Aw jeez, lil' sis, what happened to you?"

She felt the strong arms tug away the ropes and her blindfold was lifted off her face. She didn't need a second look; she hugged the two big lugs right on the

spot.

"Long time no see boys." She couldn't help but smile at her older brothers.

"What happened to you?" Raph looked torn up.

"A crazy lady caught me by surprise, that's all." She shrugged it off. "I see you two don't look much better! It looks like you've been dragged through Brooklyn

and back!" She observed.

"Ran into some kind of monster that decided to take us for a walk. Your typical day underground, right?" Mikey had one of those oh well shrugs. "Welcome to the

life of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles everybody!" Mikey bowed to a pretend audience. "BEHOLD!" He continued, "I shall try to tame this beast they call

Raphael!" He began fake-whipping the air near Raph.

"Quit it nimrod!" Raph growled. He pushed on Mikey's head and held him down on the ground. "I've had enough of you lately!"

"Sheesh, tough crowd." Mikey grumbled, getting up and brushing dust off his shoulders. "Raph still can't take a joke…" He muttered to Emily.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Emily asked after laughing at Mikey's jokes.

"I think the exits this way." Raph turned and walked down to where the two had come from.

"Please tell me a cure for hunger is this way too, my stomach's killing me!" Mikey complained.

"I'm hungry too." Emily whimpered. The crazy lady hadn't felt the need to feed her.

"We have to get out of here first." Raph insisted. "We can stop for water but that's it."

He led them down a few more turns until they heard a snuffling sound.

"What's that?" Mikey looked around uncertainly.

"Shh! Look!" Emily had spotted something ahead.

"Uhh, Raph? That's our friend from earlier!" Mikey hissed at him. "Let's go the other way! Unless you want to be flung around like a chew toy!"

They quietly turned back the way they came from, not taking their eyes off the shape.

"Ouch!" Mikey yelped. He had stubbed his toe on a rock.

"RUN!" Raph bellowed. He charged down the tunnel.

The thing was hot on their heels. Emily felt like if her life were going to flash before her eyes, now would be the time.