Four pairs of turtle-feet splashed through the sewers beneath Manhattan.

"You totally choked!" Mikey's shouts echoed through the old brick tunnels.

" I did not!" Donatello said with a grimace; even though he knew Mikey was right.

Mikey spun around to face Donnie. "You were all like, "Duh, duh, duh... You're the - Iron -Stark..."

"That's just..." Donatello shook off Mikey's attack and bumped past him to catch up with Leo and Raph.

"When do you think Master Splinter will let us go, huh?" Donnie asked, flashing the business card the Tony had given them following the encounter with the grenade.

"I don't know, Donnie," Leo started. "I don't think Master Splinter's going to be really happy with the fact that we just met several dozen people."

"But it's Iron Man. He's saved New York - the world more times than we have."

"Who's countin'? Raph said. He ain't nothin' without that suit."

"But the suits enough!" Donnie said. "The number of breakthroughs that he made while designing the Mark 1 was more than... It was a lot okay. If I could just hang out in his lab for a day, or even an hour, I would learn so much. Think about what we could accomplish if we teamed up with him.

"Hey! Mikey flipped in front of the other three. "Maybe we could become Avengers!"

"Mikey, we don't have any powers," Leo said with a matter-of-fact tone.

"Doofus!" Raph said and he punched Mikey in the shoulder as he walked by him.

When they finally reached the lair Leonardo rushed to kneel before Master Splinter with his head hanging low.

"I'm sorry, Sensei," he started and then went on to describe the events of this morning as the other turtles kneeled beside him, their faces equally full of shame, except for Donatello's. Once Leo had finished Master Splinter sat in silence for a long moment.

"This is most troubling," said Splinter. "As I have begun to fear, the Foot Clan has begun to aspire to a new level of evil. Something has made them feel equal to those who are known as superheroes or super villains. Not only that, but they have moved even further from the way of the ninja with these recent bombings. "

"You think some event has motivated this new pattern?" Leo asked.

"It is the only explanation. The Foot have time and time again shown themselves to be wicked but they are not stupid or foolish enough to go up against these beings we've had seen on the news without preparations.

Finally, I am concerned that you were all seen by so many people, whom we do not know can be trusted."

"It's not like people don't know who we are at this point," Raph pointed out.

"Yeah, and there are people that look a lot more freaky than we do," Mikey said and then quickly added, "when compared to people, I mean. Like the Thing that hangs out with the Fantastic Four!"

"What thing?" Splinter asked.

"The Thing! You, know," Mikey said.

"I do not know this thing. Please tell me what thing you mean!"

"Sensei," Leo interrupted, "the man's name is the Thing - and he's kind of a large orangish rock - person."

"I see," said Splinter pausing, "that does sound more familiar now - be that as it may, we have enemies that would do us harm if they had easy access to us or those who would be our allies. And, although we live in a world that has seen much change in humanity, there are still those who hate and would seek to do us harm. You are aware of the mutant community and its continuing trials and tribulations. I have spoken with Professor Charles Xavier and he does not think my plan of secrecy to be unwise because of my concern that you four, while quite adept in your training, are not ready to enter a world filled with such powerful beings."

Mikey was shaking with excitement. "You talked to Professor X!"

"Yes, my son. Given the plight of his own kind of mutants, with whom we have a great deal in common, I thought it prudent to speak with him. Our - situation, is much more like his own than this, Iron Man."

The brothers took in their master's words and could not help but agree with his logic regarding their place in this world.

"But - Iron Man, Sensei. He's worked with Professor X!" Donatello said. "He can take care of himself, we don't have to worry about hurting him."

"I will contact the professor again and discuss this matter with him further. I do not know about this - Iron Man but he may be a strong ally if he is truly as you describe him. And even if that were the case, it was not wise to approach him in such an open setting with any number of uncontrolled factors. I only fear for your safety my sons."

"I couldn't let the grenade kill him and those people!" Donnie was near shouting. He'd had enough of being the object of criticism today. Splinter was a little surprised by this outburst from his most introverted son but he did not convey this in his demeanor; instead he merely smiled at his son with understanding in his large brown eyes.

"I may not know much about this particular - hero, however, if he is like others that I have researched and discussed and he is part of this, Avengers team, do you think he would have been taken out by a simple small explosive?"

Donatello's shoulder's slumped. His master had a point, as usual.

"Please try to be more careful, my sons. I am trying to find new allies for us but we must do so with the utmost care to ensure the protection and well being of our family." Splinter stood and turned to walk away as his sons sat thinking upon his words but then he quickly turned and produced a computer tablet in his hands. "You should also know that this morning's attack on Mr. Stark was most likely a ploy to distract you four as much as this Iron Man." With that Splinter tossed the tablet onto his meditation pillow.

When the four turtles watched the video that he had brought up, it explained that Tatsu, the Foot Clan general that Iron Man had recently captured, had escaped his prison transport this morning around the same time as the grenade attack.

"Darn it," Mikey said dejectedly. Raph stood up and grabbed a nearby basketball which he flung into a tunnel on the far side of the lair.