AN: Thank you to everyone following this story, and to those who have reviewed! :') Enjoy!
Chapter 6
Interlude:
When It Rains…
"Oh boy, doc, d'ya mean it?" Rocksteady and Bebop were both brimming with excitement. They had just been informed of their impending trip back to the Big Apple and both were already looking like kids on Christmas… really, really ugly kids…
Baxter Stockman rubbed his eyes tiredly as he patiently replied, "Yes, you are to be shipped out to New York immediately. However! You are to follow the leadership of Ninjara and Leatherhead. Your job is to draw out those freaks, the turtles, and eliminate them! After that, we will focus our attention on reclaiming New York from the Purple Dragons."
Baxter lowered his voice as he added, "I've spoken with Ninjara and Leatherhead. They understand that they are to give you some leeway when it comes to… satisfying some of your urges. However, you will be severely punished if you defy them in any way, shape or form. Do you understand?"
"Aye-Aye, Cap'n!" Rocksteady exclaimed boisterously, mock saluting as he raised his fist to crash into Bebop's offered fist, the two of them celebrating, "WE'RE GOING HOME!"
Baxter blew out his breath, as he tried to wait for them to calm down.
"There's one more thing I need from the two of you."
"What's that, doc?" Bebop noticed the haggard look in Baxter's eyes.
"April O'Neil… I want you to capture her, alive and unharmed, and bring her back here."
"You got it, doc!" Bebop smirked, "I'd want her too, if you don't mind me saying! That woman is a fine piece of-"
"You idiot, that's not the reason! She's the perpetrator behind our defeat and I want my revenge!"
"Hey, hey, we ain't judging, doc! You do what you gotta do!" Rocksteady winked lewdly as he made a click noise combined with double finger guns at Baxter. "We'll get that reporter, no worries!"
Baxter gave up with an audible sigh of frustration. He swore his new barrage of gray hair came just from talking to these two.
"Good. Well, gentlemen, it's been a pleasure. Good luck!"
"WHOOHOO! We're going home, dude!" Rocksteady and Bebop howled as they were led away.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
The cargo plane was ready, and it's main passengers settled. Ninjara had largely ignored the warthog and rhino mutant, choosing to look over the reports that Karai had given her about their mission. She studied them, eyes lingering on the reports of her future opponents.
She had heard, vaguely, of the turtle mutants that now twice had thwarted the Foot, defeating the Shredder and the Krang, which was absolutely incredible in of itself, as they had done so on their own terms.
The most intriguing thing about them was the fact that they were mere teenagers! Ninjara squinted at that, her expression unreadable as she put her fist to her chin in complacent thought.
"Fascinating… these were the first successful test subjects for the mutagen. They appear to be quite formidable!" Leatherhead rumbled. He was also looking at the reports… his copy was laminated, as he had accidentally shredded the first copy he had been given. Ninjara looked his way, giving him a nod, "Indeed. I must say I am surprised that our Master, The shredder, was defeated by them, especially given their age!"
"Oh my! I had not noticed!" The scientist in Leatherhead had completely ignored the pleasantries of the report, focusing instead on their biology.
"Naw, they ain't nuthin' special! Me and Rocksteady totally put the smack down on those kung-fu frogs more then once! We totally got this, and with you guys, we can totally go toe-to-toe with those freaks! One-on-one!" Bebop chuckled, overhearing the conversation.
"Be that as it may, we'd best not underestimate them. It seems that this has always bee the fatal flaw in dealing with these… "freaks"." Ninjara responded, her mouth quirking at the term, as it could easily be applied to themselves.
She closed her eyes in mediation, allowing all noise to wash over and away from her.
"Don't make us regret giving you a second chance, Ninjara. Your life belongs to the foot, and you would do well to remember this."
Karai's voice echoed through her head and she ground her teeth. She would not fail this time. No matter what, she was going to succeed and win back her honor.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Casey eyeballed the files he had gathered. Jackson had precious little paperwork online, to Casey's surprise, so, he had been forced to go the "basement", where all the paper trails began. There had been quite a bit more there, and as Casey leafed through them, one particular casework file caught his eye.
"Huh… So you "rescued" Irma, huh, creep?" Casey muttered, reading the file rapidly, his mouth working in a grimace. That would explain why Irma was defensive of her abuser. If she felt that she owed him, then of course it wasn't likely that she would turn against him.
According to the file, Irma had briefly been involved with a Purple Dragon crime, but only with the intention of snitching on them. Her betrayal had been found out and if not for the convenient intervention of Jackson Reid, she would have been killed.
As it was, she had been beaten within an inch of her life. Pictures had been taken of her, and Casey winced in sympathy as he read the list of injuries she had been given.
Broken ribs, fractured bones in her arms, fractured jaw and worst of all, her sight had been permanently damaged. Her recovery had been slow and painful. And according to the report, Jackson had been with her every step of the way.
The man responsible for her hospitalization was in the city prison, serving ten years.
"Hmm… Looks like I'll have to pay you a visit, Harry Johnson. I bet you know the whole story," Casey closed the file, his mind working.
His computer beeped and he looked up in time to see the face of the man who had been stalking April. His face split into a grin, and he smirked, "Ah, hello beautiful. Looks like we gotta have a chat, Ed Hayes."
He jumped up from his desk, grabbing his coat and dialing April as he prepared to bring in the small time crook.
He trusted the guys to watch over April. It was time to visit the inner city prison.
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Donatello was reviewing the camera footage they had obtained when Michelangelo plopped next to him. The younger turtle had just woken up from sleeping after his long vigil and Donatello braced himself for the inane chatter that was surely to follow… but to his surprise, his usually cheerful brother was silent.
"Uh, you alright there, champ?" Donatello asked, giving his brother a sideways glance.
"Yeah, m'ok dude." Mikey replied, still sounding strangely down.
"Is this about your cell phone? I'm really sorry, Mike. That was on me, I should have waited until you'd gotten back-" Donatello began, feeling extremely guilty about his carelessness when Mikey cut him off, "Nah, bro, it's just… I wanna help Angel! And Irma! They're both in so much trouble, and it's like we're sitting here doing nothing! And… I actually had a chance to help Angel… and I blew it!" He added, hanging his head. "She's got the dragon tattoo… and it's all my fault, dude."
Donatello smiled wryly as he replied, "Mikey, there wasn't much you could do. You were instructed to watch her, and it sounds like her life wasn't threatened directly up until they forced her to get the tattoo. You couldn't communicate with us, and you had to make a call. You did the best you could, which is far more then anyone else did at that moment. As to the rest… I know what you mean. I feel the same way, actually. But there's only so much we can do right now."
"Yeah."
Mikey was looking at the video footage now, his brow wrinkling as he looked at the footage of the hallway outside of April's apartment. Chloe was stepping out, looking like she was gonna go running, when Irma's door opened and Jackson stepped out. There was a confrontation between the two, with Chloe looking angry and defensive, a strange fire in her expression that was anything but self-conscious, as she had seemed before.
"Dude, she looks like she knows about Irma." Mikey pointed out, chuckling, "Also, I told you guys she'd be cute!"
Donatello frowned as he turned to the monitor with Chloe.
"I wonder what happened. That's not the first time they had a confrontation. I think he's hitting on her."
"But, isn't he with Irma?"
"Well, yeah, but if he's only with her to control her, then it wouldn't make sense for him to remain celibate."
"Oh… Hey, Donnie?"
"Yeah Mikey?"
"What's celibate?"
Donatello choked slightly, sputtering before settling with a dry, "It's what we are."
"Uh… Oh." Mikey frowned as he tried to figure that one out. "Wait what?"
All at once, shouts came from the direction of the dojo.
"Hey, Mikey, what's the timer say?" Donatello asked without skipping a beat.
"It is…" Mikey checked the timer on his phone, "5 minutes and 36 seconds."
"You owe me five bucks." Donatello chuckled as Raphael stormed out of the dojo, Leonardo hot on his heels.
"Raphael, you know we can't just expose ourselves without a plan!"
"That's not what I'm suggesting as you damn well know, Leo!" Raphael snarled, "We gotta act soon, before more people get hurt! What about April!? The Dragons are already tailing her! And who knows what they'll do to her once they figure out that she's doing a story on them! So far Donnie and Mikey are the ONLY ONES who have actually taken action and done what they felt was right! Meanwhile you just sit here like a damn coward, waiting for those punks to hurt more people! What's it gonna take, huh? How far are you gonna let them go before you do something about it? When they start lining people up in the subway as hostages, like the Foot did?!"
Leonardo opened his mouth to retort, as anger and humiliation stabbed him but then paused, trying to get his emotions under control. Raph wasn't totally wrong, but neither were his hurtful words justified. Leonardo took a deep breath, choosing to ignore the personal jabs Raphael had thrown and focusing instead on the intentions of his hotheaded sibling.
"Look, Raph, I know what you're saying. I just don't want us, ANY of us to do something we'll regret."
"Well NOT doing anything is still doing something, however you look at it." Raphael snarled.
"Alright, wise guy, then what would YOU have us does?" Leonardo frowned as he crossed his arms, trying to not sound snide. He was genuinely curious though, if Raph had any ideas.
Raphael almost started to speak when he stopped short, looking Leo in the eye he asked in surprise, "Are you asking me seriously?"
"Yes, Raphael. What's your plan?"
Raph snorted ungracefully, he hadn't expected to get this far with his equally stubborn brother.
"Look, if it makes you feel better, when we patrol tonight, we can swing by April's, in case that creep is still hanging around. Maybe we could even follow Chloe on her run, see if she gets tailed again. Would that make you feel better?"
"Not really, but it's better then nothing." Raphael grunted.
"Hey Leo, I just heard from April." Donatello called from where he and Mikey sat.
"What's she say?"
"She got our message about the stalker and has taken precautions. Casey found out the guy's name, a Mr. Ed Hayes, petty crook, wanted for multiple thefts and vandalism."
"Alright, so let's go get him!" Raphael smacked his fist into his open palm.
"Sounds like Casey's already on it." Donatello interjected, almost apologetically.
Raphael stood, his fist still in his palm, his scowl growing darker by the second.
Mikey bounced to his feet as he asked, "Hey, has Casey talked to Angel yet?"
Raphael shook his head, momentarily distracted as he replied, "Naw dude. By the way, whose turn is it to look after Angel tonight?"
"Mine." Donatello replied, looking over at Mikey, he asked, "Do you want to come with?"
"Yeah dude!" Mikey perked up, looking a lot happier.
"That aright, Leo?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea."
Leo blew out his breath. To be honest, he was mostly irritable because he hadn't been sleeping well. He'd been assaulted by dreams, nightmares really, of the Shredder's return. The inability to protect his family haunted his aura and he felt more restless then he ever had before.
It didn't help that Splinter had been unable to provide them with any information on the Japanese branch of the Foot. Their master had been extremely troubled by the thought, retreating to his room in order to meditate.
Raphael's phone rang and he gave it a glance before flicking it open.
"Whatcha got, Friday?
"Very Funny, Dome-head. I just learned that Jackson has been involved with Irma a lot longer than we initially thought. I'm on my way to question a potential witness. In the meantime, do me a favor and keep an eye on April. I know she said she didn't want you guys involved, but there's only so much I can do on my own here. If we're gonna get Angel out of the trouble she's in, Jackson's got to be taken out of the picture. Who knows, maybe he can give us more info on what the Purple Dragons are up to."
"Alright, Bonehead, I'll tell the others."
"Catch ya on the flipside, Dweeb."
Raph snorted as Casey hung, turning to the others, he cracked his knuckles.
"We got a job to do, guys."
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April was terse as she hung up her phone. Casey had just called her, giving her all the information he had found on Jackson's past with Irma and the identity of her stalker.
Presently, there wasn't anything she could really do, not without sounding paranoid and crazy. Strangely enough, even Chloe seemed on edge, but April chalked that up to the new environment as she asked, "Hey, you ok, kiddo?"
"Yeah, I'm ok. Sorry." Chloe apologized with a lopsided grin.
"No need to apologize, I know this can be overwhelming, especially if you're new to it all. That's kinda how I was when I started."
This wasn't entirely true. April had known she wanted to be a reporter for as long as she could remember and her father's death had ingrained the desire within her like a fiery brand. Of course she had moments in her adolescence where she had been unsure of herself, but never had she felt unsure of her desire to discover the truth.
"That makes me feel better," Chloe laughed slightly, but her eyes darted to the side, as though looking for something as she asked, "Er, who was that on the phone with you?"
"Oh, it was just Casey. He had some information for me."
"I see." Chloe nodded.
"Anyways, it's time for us to head back to the station. I've one more thing to report for the 5 o'clock new and then it'll be time for us to wrap it up."
"Alright, cool!" Chloe grinned, although a fresh set of anxieties beset her. When she got home, she planned to meet Irma on the roof to start her self-defense training, something she had never done for anyone before.
I hope I can help her. All I ever do is screw things up.
Chloe winced as she realized that once again, her insecurities were putting words in her proverbial mouth.
No, that's not true. I know I can do this. I have to.
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The inner city prison was cold. That was something Casey had known already, after serving as a prison guard for a time. As he waited for them to bring out Harry Johnson, he kept his eye on the door. He hated this place. God, did he hate it.
"Detective Jones."
Casey stood as the guard brought the shackled prisoner. Harry Johnson was a small, wiry man with lines in his face, graying red hair and bags under his eyes. He looked every bit as sleazy as a small time crook would look.
"Ah, Mr. Johnson. Have a seat."
"Can we cut to the chase, Detective, I've got a pottery class to get to." Harry snapped, flinching as the guard behind him gave him a dirty look.
"I'd be happy to. According to your file, you were convicted on many charges, but the most serious one was assault and battery on a woman, Irma Rocksteed."
Harry swallowed visibly, his eyes darting away from Casey's face as he shrugged, "Oh, you know, she was a snitch. Had to be shut up."
"You didn't work for the Purple Dragons up until the moment when she was involved. Why?"
"I decided that I needed to expand my enterprises, you know? Small gigs just weren't cutting it and I figured-"
"Harry."
The crook paused. He had been talking directly to the tabletop, and now, he slowly raised his head to look into the fiery gaze of Casey Jones.
"You're not being truthful. Now listen, I don't' give a damn about you. But someone I care about is in danger, and unfortunately, you're the key I need to save her. So you better start talking, or I'll make sure you-"
"You'll what? My life is already hell here!" Harry suddenly snapped, eyes blazing, he spouted, " I've hit rock-bottom! My life ain't gonna go anywhere from here, and if I talk, I'm as good as dead!"
He was about to say more when Casey's face split into a wide, wide smile.
"Oh? Talk about what? What do you know that's so dangerous to your health, Harry-boy?"
"I- I didn't mean-"
"You listen here, and you listen good. That guard there? He's a good friend of mine. If I asked him to make you life miserable, you can bet your ass he'd do it. Let me make something very, very clear right now; your life means absolutely nothing to me personally. I've got people that are depending on me, people that I would die for. So you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't. What's it gonna be?"
Harry quivered under the hateful stares of Casey and the guard. Finally, he muttered, "If this gets out, I'm not the only one in trouble, understand? I've got loved ones too."
Casey looked at him in some mild surprise.
"If you're serious about that, I'll make it my personal priority to make sure that nothing happens to them."
"… The dragons blackmailed me. If I didn't do what they said… they were gonna go after my son." Harry admitted, looking into Casey eyes, he continued, "Nano's a good kid, which is why I've tried to stay out of his life. He doesn't need me to drag him down. On top of that, I owed a bunch of money to some loan sharks, who, as my rotten luck would have it, were owned by the Purple Dragons. They agreed to cancel out my debt and leave my family out of my business so long as I… So long as I made sure this Irma chick would keep her mouth shut about something. She was weak and kind of irritating, I figured that it wouldn't be hard to just intimidate her. But… when the time came… "
Here, Harry paused and he shuddered. He had looked away a moment, as if in pain, but he turned back, with conviction, he snarled," Someone else had gotten to her. I found her beaten, within an inch of her life. I couldn't believe it. They had said to intimidate her; no one had said anything about actually touching her, much less kill her! I… I was trying to see if she was dead, you know, shaking her, calling her name, when that goddamn pig came out of nowhere and arrested me for assault. There was no evidence in my favor, none whatsoever. And you know the law… when you're someone like me, no one will listen to your side of the story. Besides that, it was my word against the cop's, so I was as good as convicted. And you know, I eventually realized that this was the Dragons' plan all along. They wanted someone to frame, and they picked me. I don't know why they didn't just kill her… well, I mean, I didn't know then. I know now."
"Because of her brother, Rocksteady?" Casey asked confidently.
Harry looked at him like he was stupid and laughed.
"Oh boy. You really don't know. But I can't tell you. If I do, my boy will definitely die and there ain't a damn thing you'll be able to do."
Casey frowned.
"Look, I'll see to it that your family stays safe, Harry. You sure that's all?"
"The rest should be easy for you to figure out, Detective." Harry responded simply as he was lead away.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Irma was waiting on the rooftop, nervous, dressed in a baggy t-shirt and sweatpants when Chloe came to the rooftop, dressed similarly.
Giving a grin, Chloe waved at Irma.
"Hello. Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Irma replied, adjusting her glasses on her face.
Chloe couldn't help but think back to when she had first started learning self-defense, and how scared she had been.
Her sister's first words of caution and advice swirled through her mind and she found herself repeating them.
"Self-defense isn't about the fight itself. It's not like TV, or the movies, or even like professional sports, where there's a referee and a cameraman and a cheering audience. It's about getting home alive. When you use self-defense, it's about your own survival and well-being. So, keep that in mind. When someone approaches you, with the intent to cause bodily harm to you, your goal shouldn't be to try to show off your moves, or prolong the encounter in any way. It's to get home, alive, no matter what."
Irma took in these words with a growing sense of nausea at the seriousness in Chloe's tone, and nodded, "Ok."
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Across the street, Leonardo and Raphael had just arrived, after doing a quick patrol over the city. Raphael scanned the streets for the lurker, but the guy was nowhere in sight.
"Hey, it looks like Irma's trying to learn self-defense." Leo observed.
Raph looked up to see Chloe and Irma on the roof across the street. Chloe was speaking with a serious expression on her homespun face. Irma seemed nervous as she listened.
"Wait… is there someone else there?" Leo squinted.
Raphael looked in the direction of Leo's gaze and his blood boiled.
"It's that creep, Jackson. He's watching them. Fuckin' perv."
Sure enough, Leo realized Raph was right. Jackson Reid was on the roof, standing behind the roof-access. He was perfectly still, watching Irma and Chloe with an expression that was growing darkewr by the minute.
"He's not up to any good." Leo murmured.
"No duh, Leo! Let's grab him!" Raphael grinned toothily, pounding his fist into his open palm.
Leo considered. They could do that… but what if Chloe and Irma saw them?
Jackson was only watching… but who knows whether or not he would make a move on them. Chloe seemed to have a good grasp of self-defense, but Jackson outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds. Not to mention there was Irma, defenseless and tiny. It would be so easy for Jackson to gang up on the two.
"Look, we don't make a move unless he threatens them directly. But let's get in a position to intervene if he does." Leo decided.
Raphael chuckled, "Good enough for me!" He was itching to get his hands on the abusive prick.
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The next hour was an awkward, sweaty one. Chloe did her best, but being an awkward person herself, her teaching was rusty. However, what she lacked in finesse, she made up for with enthusiasm and encouragement, refusing to hear Irma's apologies and patiently making sure that her own form was flawless as she showed Irma basic techniques, starting with methods of escape. They could move on to more complex, aggressive methods later. By the end of the hour, Irma was bent over, her hands on her knees as she breathed hard. She had never been athletic at all, and her heart was hammering in her chest like a washing machine thrown off balance.
"I guess that will do for tonight. Sorry, I'm really bad at teaching. But you did really good!" Chloe laughed nervously.
"No, no, it's ok! It's actually pretty fun." Irma admitted with a tired, hoarse laugh. "Sort of satisfying, you know what I mean?"
Chloe smiled back at her, "yeah, I do. Punching the air is great for blowing off stream. So, that's all I got for you tonight. We'll start working on strength training and conditioning in a couple of days, so you can deliver more power in your techniques. Sound good?"
"Yes." Irma nodded, smiling genuinely.
They both sat on the rooftop, quiet for a while, as they looked up at the sky. There weren't many stars out, because of the city smog, but it was still a lovely evening, with a gentle breeze.
"Say, Chloe? How long have you been doing this… fighting stuff?" Irma queried after a long silence.
"Hmm." Chloe thought back to when she first started, " About 5 years I guess. I actually started before I met my Ex-boyfriend, David. But, I guess you could say I took my training more seriously after him." Chloe looked up at the sky, clenching her fists as memories swept through her brain. She steered away from thoughts of her ex and instead, focused on the memory of her sister.
"Desiree was such a badass. And… she was the only family I had that cared about me after our parents died. Don't get me wrong, her kids, my nephews, loved me too, but they're all really young. My sister's husband never liked me. And… he didn't want me around after she died, because he…blamed me for her death. That's part of the reason why I'm here."
Irma frowned as Chloe stumbled over her words, "That's messed up."
"Well, it's pretty complicated. I mean, he never liked me anyways. I was just another mouth to feed to him."
Irma sat in silence, as Chloe looked up at the sky, recalling, "Desiree was a victim of abuse too. That is why she became a fighter. Helping others to learn to defend themselves was important to her, especially women. We're so often viewed as damsels in distress that need saving, when, sometimes, we just lack the tools and the knowledge to save ourselves. And when we are helpless, society is cold and heartless to our words and our voices, even when we do seek help and speak up. I'm not saying it doesn't happen to men, as well. All people should be given the tools to protect their lives and defend the ones they love. At least… that was how my sister felt. And as long as I live, I'm going to carry out her ideals."
Irma smiled sadly, the words scratching at her heart as her sins crawled over her shoulder.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Your sister sounds like she was a really great person."
Tears watered in Chloe's eyes before she wiped them away with determination.
"I don't want to forget her. And in a way, teaching you what she taught me… it's like she's here with me. It feels right. So thank you, Irma, for letting me share her memory with you."
Irma set her jaw, clenching her fists. She recalled the weird incident from the other day, when that strange guy in the trench coat practically begged her to end her relationship with Jackson… for her sake and for Angel's sake, of all things. Irma hadn't had a chance to ask Angel anything regarding that incident, but the fact that Jackson had straight up lied to Irma about Angel's visit the other night nagged at her spirit. Even though she was terrified at the thought of leaving Jackson, the thought of staying with him, staying under his thumb was even more terrifying. She was shaken from her thoughts when Chloe continued to speak.
"You know, I thought I was going to be miserable here. I know it's only been a few days, but I already feel hopeful about my future. Work today was good, and... I don't know. I just have a good feeling." Chloe murmured, almost to herself, as she clasped her hands together, absently scratching under her gloves.
Irma stood to her feet, as she noticed the time.
"I better get back to the apartment."
"Alright, Irma. See you tomorrow. Don't forget what I said about the purpose of self-defense."
Irma's footsteps faded out, blending briefly with the rhythm of the city, ending with the closing of the door.
Chloe leaned back against an ac unit, her eyes absentmindedly looking into the sky as she contemplated, finally alone.
"I miss you, Desiree. I hope I'm doing this right." She murmured. Sitting in silence, she closed her eyes and allowed the noises of the city to lull her. Her palms itched briefly, but she ignored it. Ever since she had arrived, her palms seemed to itch more and more and she wasn't sure why that was. However, the chaotic peace didn't last.
A noise on the rooftop clattered out of sync with the rest of the city din, and Chloe's heart jumped into her mouth as she scrambled to her feet, crouched low, she peered over the top of the ac unit, her ears burning, a prickling feeling running over her shoulders.
To her surprise, there wasn't anyone there. She was alone. Or, so it seemed. A chill breeze swept over her, sending goose bumps down her legs and arms. Warning bells were going off in her head.
Frowning, Chloe stood to her feet cautiously; looking around nervously as she grabbed her gear and practically flew into the apartment, not even looking back. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she raced down the hall and shakily let herself into the apartment.
April had gone out to meet with friends, she had said, and she wasn't back yet. As Chloe took in deep breaths, she relaxed slightly, and tried hard not to consider the fact that she was positive that she had heard someone on the rooftop.
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Irma quietly made dinner and set the table, her eyes downcast and full of thought. Jackson still wasn't home and Irma was beginning to wonder if he was working late tonight.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Back on the roof, from behind the roof access, Jackson Reid stood silently, struggling with his cold, burning fury that was building like a nuclear meltdown in his chest.
His eyes burned in the darkness, as he contemplated what he had witnessed. Irma hadn't been home when he arrived, and knowing her tendency for smoking, he crept to the roof, hoping to sneak up on her and catch her in the act, since he had expressly forbidden her smoking. It was a filthy habit and a waste of money.
However, what he found instead was enough to make his blood boil. That hussy from next door, the fat minx who had twice spurned his advances, was teaching Irma what seemed to be self-defense.
Instead of confronting them, he quietly slipped into the shadows, watching and waiting with all the patience of a seasoned predator. Eventually, they called it quits and sat together, talking with one another, like girls do.
Jackson ground his teeth as he tried to get his emotions under control. Not only was Irma defying him by not going straight home after work, as he had implicitly commanded her to, multiple occasions, but she was learning self-defense. He wasn't thick; he knew where this was going. This was her first night, and she was still physically weak. Hell, he could easily, easily overpower, if she tried to defend herself from his authority tonight.
That wasn't the problem.
It was the principle of the matter. She was very clearly disobeying him, defying his regime in her life.
Jackson's job had been very simple when he had first seduced this bitch; he was to keep an eye on Irma Rocksteed, gain her trust and keep her under surveillance.
So far, influencing her and keeping her under his thumb had been extremely easy; almost like child's play… so why now? Why was she suddenly bucking his authority?
He chuckled quietly as he finally stepped into the moonlight, standing in the spot where she and Chloe had been training. Their sweat was still pooled on the ground in quiet, damp spots, unassuming evidence of their fervor and efforts.
Taking care of this should be easy. Chloe was a nobody, after all. Sure, she was living with that nosy, meddling reporter, but he doubted anyone really important would care if Chloe disappeared. Flicking open his burner phone, he called one of his Purple Dragon contacts, making a full report on the situation.
Five minutes later, he was back in the apartment, giving Irma a gentle hug and a tender kiss.
"D-did you have a good day today, Jack?" Irma asked in that quiet, mousy tone she had that was almost endearing, but mostly annoying.
"Oh baby, did I ever!" Jackson grinned wolfishly down at her, ruffling her hair with deliberate affection.
"Th-that's good!" Irma laughed nervously. She was confused, Jackson hadn't treated her this gently in a very long time…. Things must have been really good at work.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Leo and Raph came out of the shadows once Jackson had gone back into the apartment. Raphael was livid, snarling, "Why wouldn't you let me kick his ass Leo?! He clearly deserves it!"
"I don't think he's going to do anything to Irma tonight. Did you hear his conversation on the phone? He wants to get rid of Chloe." Leo responded, "Our best bet is to let Casey handle Jackson. It sounded like he was on the verge of finding evidence to lock " He paused, as Raphael huffed in anger, putting a hand on the restless warrior's shoulder, he continued, "You and I are going to trail Chloe tomorrow. She's in danger now."
"Everyone's in danger. And it looks to me that you don't want to do anything about it." Raphael snarled, shrugging Leo's grasp off.
"That's not true!" Leo snarled back, "Damn it, Raph, I can't let you guys down again!"
Raphael looked at Leo in surprise as Leo continued angrily, "It was because of me that Master Splinter was almost killed! If we make one mistake-" He paused, struggling to find the words.
Raphael growled, "Leo, you can't blame yourself for what happened. That's in the past, and you know Splinter didn't blame you. None of us did. In fact… If anyone was to blame, it was me. I was the one that kept pushing for us to go further then was safe. You just wanted to help that girl. If I'd been thinking about you guys, I wouldn't have put us in danger."
Leo shook his head, for the first time realizing that Raphael's need for action wasn't an impulsive drive for violence. It was a guilt-driven motive, just as his desire to keep them safe was rooted in guilt.
"Raph, look, I'm sorry I've pushed you around and ignored your concerns."
"Don't apologize to me, Leo. You know I've got a thick skin. Let's just focus on busting up these crooks. After all, this is our city." Raph grinned slightly.
Leo grinned back, feeling a sense of relief. Normally, he and Rap didn't open to each other about their feelings. But he was glad that tonight had been an exception.
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Angel had been busy all day trying to retrace her steps. She even went back to the docks, looking at her surroundings. To be honest, she was curious herself about who had rescued her and why they had done so. As far back as she could remember, no one had ever given a damn about her with the exception of Casey Jones and her grandmother. She had tried calling Jones, but he hadn't picked up.
The bastard.
Worn out and empty-handed, she turned to walk back to her old job with disgust. How could a guy that powerful move without leaving a trace?
As Angel picked her way down the street, she almost paused in her movement. She was being followed. And to her knowledge, it couldn't be the Purple Dragons this time.
She turned down an alley and grabbed her pocketknife, gritting her teeth, she snarled, "Alright, punk, come out and show your face. I'm sick and tired of your bullshit!"
There was no answer, and Angel waited tensely, her gut churning. She sighed, "God, I must be going insane." Kicking a can, she snarled to herself as she continued on her way.
Following above her on the rooftops, Mikey marveled, "Dude, how does she do that?"
Donatello had no answer. Angel paused, her face wrenching with uncertainty. She was certain she had heard voices on the wind. Either she was going crazy, or there really was someone there, watching her. The question was why? Was this the person who had interfered last night?
If that was the case, then they probably didn't have malicious intentions towards her, right? She turned towards the roof, staring into the darkness. Frustrated beyond words, she huffed and continued on her way to work. Thankfully, she hadn't heard from the Dragons about a job tonight.
Donnie and Mikey kept out of sight, Donatello periodically checking the perimeter with his gear as they crossed each block.
Angel entered the bar she worked at, calling out, "Charlie? You there?"
The Bartender looked up and waved her over.
"How you doing, kid?" he asked quietly, lowering his tone, he asked, "Are they treating you right?"
"You know they're not, Charlie… but there's nothing I can do about that." Angel frowned, as she took the offered cup of water and lemon he offered her.
"They came in here yesterday, to let me know that you'd be busy."
"Is that all they came for?" Angel raised a brow and Charlie shook his head tiredly.
"I'm supposed to give them a 30% share of my sales, and serve their members for a… discounted price."
Angel growled, "Those bastards are expanding their territory. If someone doesn't step in soon, they'll be back in power before you can say 'Big Apple'."
Charlie just sighed. He was getting old, and these recent events were weighing on him heavily.
"Just like the old days."
Angel's fists squeezed into hard knots of fury. Irma, Charlie, her big, dumb brother… Everything was being taken from her. And it was THEIR fault. That goddamn cult of a gang was like a disease.
Resolve started building in Angel's chest. If something didn't change… someone didn't do something….
But what could she do?
The doorbell rang and Angel turned to see Casey Jones.
"Angel." Casey nodded brusquely.
"Jones. Why don't you answer your fucking phone?" Angel hissed.
Casey winced.
"I'm sorry. Kiddo. I'm here now. I got a lot to tell you."
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
April dragged her feet wearily back to the apartment. Her mind was spinning with the information Casey had shared.
If everything that the inmate had shared was true, then they were all truly in danger.
She honestly wasn't sure whether or not she should keep Chloe with her. It sounded like things were really going to get messy.
"Hey, Chloe-" April stopped short as she entered the apartment. Chloe was passed out on the couch, a textbook draped across her face. April smiled softly. Her old roommate, Taylor would never have done such a thing, for the simple fact that Taylor had never really been comfortable around April. Chloe was so different from Taylor, despite her obvious social anxiety, she was hardworking and sincere in her kindness.
April grabbed Chloe's coffee mug, which was empty, and took it to the kitchen, choosing to let the worn out girl sleep. She'd talk to her tomorrow.
Her phone rang and April quickly answered it. She looked over her shoulder, to see if Chloe was disturbed. The Textbook remained in place and Chloe's breath was regular.
April turned back to her phone, murmuring quietly, "Hello?"
"Hey April."
"Leo? What's going on?"
"Raph and I are outside your apartment. Jackson just blew some sort of whistle on Chloe. We're going to stick around and keep an eye on her when she goes running in the morning."
"Wait, what? Why Chloe?"
"Well, I think it has to do with the fact that she's befriended Irma. She's teaching Irma self-defense and… Jackson caught them. They don't know that he knows though. Raph and I were across the street and we saw him spying on them."
"Oh my god." April pinched the bridge of her nose, "I told her to stay away from Irma!"
"Don't worry, April, we'll keep an eye on her." Leo replied confidently.
"Alright. Thanks guys. Have you heard from Casey?"
"Yeah. That's part of the reason why we didn't do anything to Jackson tonight. It'd be best if he was taken into police custody."
April nodded.
"Thanks guys. I appreciate it. Stay in touch, ok?"
"Will do."
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Darkness.
It surrounded her on all sides. A chilled feeling crept down her spine, chilling her to the bones. Opening her eyes, she perceived that she was not alone in this darkness and her heart seemed to stutter in her chest. Of course, it wasn't so much that she could see she wasn't alone. It was a gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of her stomach, in the way her skin crawled under someone else's eyes.
"Who-Who's there?" She whispered, her palms itching.
Silence swallowed her whisper, and the presence grew, Chloe frantically turned this way and that, the feeling of something growing stronger and stronger.
She couldn't see anything however and slowly, relaxed. Suddenly, she jolted as she felt a warm breath on her neck and a distorted voice whispered into her ear, "Murderer."
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Chloe screeched as she awoke, her body drenched in sweat, her palms itching like crazy. She blinked back tears, biting her lip as she gazed at her hands, still covered by her gloves. Scratching at them, she murmured, "It's not real. It's not real."
8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8~8
Back at the lair, Splinter sat in the dojo, troubled by his meditations. Strange visions had assailed him.
The most troubling of these visions came in the form of a young man, oriental in appearance, bowed at the knee and a blade at his throat. Oroku Saki held the blade, and sneered, "Now you die."
"He who lives without honor will die without honor." The young man spoke, in a voice that was calm and at peace.
Splinter awoke from these visions with a feeling of foreboding. He stood to his feet, suddenly aware of a presence in his home. With a growl, he gripped his staff, and disappeared from sight.
Listening intently and scenting the air, he realized that whoever had invaded their home was not human.
"I know you are here, Rat." An elegant voice spoke out confidently, "Show yourself. We have some business to discuss."
This was the only presence Splinter sensed, so, without further hesitation, he dropped into view. The presence was a fox-like woman, garbed in the tech and gear of the Foot Clan.
"Master Splinter, is it? What an honor." She smirked, her golden eyes unfriendly and wary.
"And you are?" Splinter, questioned, still on guard.
"My name is Ninjara. I am here to negotiate with you on behalf of the Foot." She replied, though her voice was tinged with disgust.
"And why should I believe a word that you say? You dared to show your presence in my home."
Ninjara took the weapon off her back and gently laid it on the floor, showing her hands clearly, she gazed at him openly, though the pride never left her eyes.
"I come in peace, Splinter."
Splinter's tail twitched. "I will hear what you have to say."
"How kind." She sneered, crossing her arms, she spoke, "As you may already know, the Purple Dragons are retaking the territory left behind by the Foot. If they succeed in taking over the city, many innocent people will suffer. Mistress Karai wishes to retake the New York territory and leave it in the care of her daughter, Niko. Niko is a peaceful young woman, and wishes to remodel the Foot Clan to be honorable and morally uncorrupt. She wishes to fund the researching of technology for the advancement of mankind."
"How noble," Splinter stroked his beard, still on guard as he asked, "And what does any of this have to do with me and my sons?"
"We wish to make an alliance. Your small family is extremely formidable and we have confidence that an alliance would be the best course of action to take down the threat of the Purple Dragons without serious repercussions on the city and it's inhabitants."
Splinter laughed softly.
"Everything you say sounds good and well. But there's only one problem."
"And what is that?" Ninjara asked in impatience.
"A tiger is incapable of changing its stripes, and a scorpion will always sting the hand that extends in kindness. In the same way, I do not believe the Foot clan has the ability to become anything other then what it is; a heartless organization that steps on the lives of good people for it's own benefit."
Ninjara actually laughed back, as she looked Splinter in the eye, rebuking, "How very narrow-minded. In case you hadn't noticed, our old leader is dead and gone. Niko is his heir, and her methods and mannerisms are as different from her father as day from night. Our offer will stand. If you change your mind, please, accept this card and contact us at your leisure. We'll be in town, until the Purple Dragon threat is eliminated."
Splinter watched her place the card on the floor, pick up her katana and sheath it. He was impressed by how easily she disappeared from view, a true Ninja warrior.
Splinter let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. This was an unexpected development. It wasn't surprising that she had found their home. After all, they had stayed in the same place. The foot knew where they lived.
Splinter shook his head, reminding himself to speak to Donatello about the security measures.
In fact… moving to a new home, while problematic, would most likely be the best idea.
Splinter looked at his home, relishing the memories painted in the rooms and on the walls. The first words and steps his sons took, the many times he had caught them sneaking out, all the lessons learned and the laughter shared.
He nodded to himself.
Yes, it was time to move again. After all… if the Foot wanted to, they could share the location of the lair with anybody. It was a strategic failure on his part, but one that he was determined to correct. Once his sons returned, he would speak with them about finding a new home.
With this in mind, he took up his walking staff and took a running start. He would scout out the outer territory of they were familiar with, to see if he could find a new place for them. If he did not, then, he would recruit help tomorrow. But for now, it was time for him take action.
Besides, he already had an idea of where to go.
AN2: If anyone has any constructive criticism for me, I'm happy to hear it, I'm always looking to improve my writing.
Happy early Valentine's Day
