Chapter Ten
The park outside of Raftenport turned out to be not much more than a glorified rest area. There was a great large parking lot perched up on a hillside, offering a nearly 360 degree view of the highway, low lying forestland and waterways below. On the western side, the slope continued upward, with a very civilized hiking trail clearly marked in both French and English. There were fifteen picnic tables on the grassy area scattered around and a large sign proclaiming "No Overnight Camping. No Fires".
"Oh, well," sighed Casey, when they had pulled up the afternoon before. "Ya know, this place is a lot smaller than I remembered it."
"How old were you last time you were here?" April had asked.
"Five, I think."
Lia had finally been persuaded to ride in the car for the last leg of the trip. Whether because of the large captive audience or simply that Casey had finally hit his stride, the passengers were regaled with tales of Casey's adventures for the entire ride. It seemed he had either lived, or had some para-illegal vigilante adventure, at nearly every place they passed through.
At least the stories kept Lia's mind off of Jake, who sat slumped low in the backseat. Each time Lia turned around to say something to Sean, Jake sank further down, closing his eyes as though asleep. She concluded it was a desperate, albeit not a very effective, attempt at invisibility.
Happily, no one had bothered to come by and check if anyone had spent the night, and so they had slept undisturbed, if cramped once again. In the morning cars had begun arriving around 9am, most staying only a short time, but it was obvious the little park was far too popular a stop for their purposes.
"They may have to wait until nightfall before they can even get close," said April, as she watched yet another large R.V. pull into the parking area.
Casey sat perched on the edge of the picnic table. "Our boys in the trailer would probably like a chance to get out for while again, too. This place has sure gotten busy."
"Busy time of year, too," April opened her book again. "Everyone's out on vacation. And the weather is so nice."
Casey shrugged and tossed back the rest of his beer. "Maybe it'll rain."
April looked up at the sparkling blue skies. "Doubt it." She scanned around the grassy field again, knowing full well that she wouldn't see Leo or Raph even if they were nearby. "Where did Sean and Jake go?" she asked.
"Sent 'em off to gather fire wood. Figured we might as well break every rule here while we're at it."
"Hmph," sniffed April. "Casey Jones, defender of Law and Order."
"Well, I am," Casey protested, sounding wounded. "Some laws are just stupid."
Lia was lying in the warm grass on her stomach, not far from them, nearly as engrossed as Rose with watching a small black beetle bury itself from their view. Rose kept tearing up blades of grass to make a house for it but the ungrateful bug kept seeking his own accommodations.
Eventually the warm sun on her back and the lazy activity made Lia sleepy. She hoped Rose would be willing to nap for a while and give her a few moments respite. She led her off to the trailer.
They had parked back under the only stand of trees at the far edge of the parking lot, and even so, it was a good bit warmer inside the trailer than out. Splinter was meditating or dozing, Lia couldn't really be sure, and Don was reading. Mike restlessly bounced from one corner of the trailer to the other, obviously bored to distraction. His face lit up when he saw Lia and Rose.
"Hey! Hey! You wanna play a game?" he asked eagerly, rummaging through the cabinet over the sink. "We got Parcheesi, and Monopoly, and, oh look! Twister!"
Lia blinked, wondering how Mike thought any one could play Twister in the confines of the trailer. "Mike, I'm sorry, I'm trying to get her down for a nap."
"Oh." He looked crestfallen.
"I wanna play!" squealed Rose, tugging to free her hand from Lia's.
"It's hot in here, isn't it?" asked Lia.
"Yeah. Makes me kinda hyper."
Splinter opened his eyes. "Lia," he said softly. "There is no sign of Leonardo and Raphael as yet, is there?"
Donatello looked up from his book, appearing a little glassy-eyed and disoriented.
Lia shook her head. "There's a lot of cars coming and going out there."
The old rat stood and stretched his spine straight, his tail uncoiling behind him. "Perhaps tonight then," he said. "There is no cause for concern. I would not be surprised if it took them several more days even."
Michaelangelo groaned softly and slumped back up against the sink.
"Patience, my son," Splinter gently reprimanded.
"I know, Splinter. It's just that there's all that awesome sunshine out there and we're stuck in here."
Splinter gazed at him with understanding, and nodded gently. For all the years they had lived hidden from the sight of most of humanity, the impact of this necessity on his sons could still cause Splinter pain. Lia saw it in his face, and saw it in Mike's light little shrug as he shook off his disappointment.
"Lia," said Splinter, redirecting his attention, "please, take this bunk. We will try to make it a little more comfortable in here. Although," he smiled just a bit, "I myself find the warmth quite delightful."
With the windows opened wide and the door wedged open a crack, it seemed a little less stuffy, and Rose eventually settled down. Lia, curled next to her, nearly fell asleep herself. She sat up groggily, and carefully moved around the sleeping child. Feeling guilty, she gave the excuse that she needed to find a restroom, and slipped back outside into the fresh afternoon air.
She headed for the hiking trail, which climbed the hillside between neat little signs admonishing hikers to stay on the trail and not to disturb the environment. The trail kept clear of the trees, skirting the edge of the rocky hillside where it dropped away. Her feet crunched on the fine gray gravel, the afternoon sun was warm on her bare shoulders.
Lia wasn't happy leaving Mike and Don imprisoned, while she was free to roam. She thought back guiltily to last week—was it only a week ago? She had angrily thrown it back in their faces that the turtles' movements were restricted. She had asked them for help, then challenged their ability to help her. And their response had been to nearly die in their efforts to do what she asked. And then, against all odds, had they succeeded. She made a silent vow to not argue with them anymore.
She had some worries still; what had become of poor Adeline Jackson, and what was going on with Donatello's sudden blinding headaches, and the two travelers who had not yet arrived. But the overwhelming reality was that she and Rose were safe now. And for that, she knew she would always feel in their debt.
Lia paused and turned, looking back down the hillside at the little trailer where her daughter slept securely. She couldn't see it very well, hidden under the trees. She did notice the last car had pulling out of the parking lot, leaving them alone in the park site for the first time since the day before. Maybe Don, Mike, and Splinter could get out of the trailer at last. She frowned. Did Sean and Jake even know there was a large Japanese rat riding in the trailer? She didn't think anyone had mentioned him. That, she decided, would be an interesting encounter. Jake would probably faint dead away, she thought. He's so weird. No, he makes me feel weird. Well, she concluded, there isn't a soul on this trip who hasn't got good reason to be feeling a little weird, for one reason or another. Although Don's apparent concern about Jake had reinforced her own.
And Don certainly hadn't looked too well himself since the last attack. He had seemed completely out of it, just now in the trailer. It made sense to her that Don would be one to develop some sort of eyestrain and maybe headache problems, spending as much time as he did staring at a computer screen. But there was something about the whole thing that felt much darker. And he hadn't been near a monitor in two days. She hoped it was just her paranoid imaginings. She knew she could easily work herself into unnecessary anxiety if she let her own fears run. Lia pushed aside her uneasiness. It was too beautiful a day to waste on fear.
She hiked a little further up the trail and stopped to take in the whole view. The hillside behind and above her was forested with hemlock, birch trees, maples and pines. Her lookout perch was the only exposed outcropping. Below her, beyond the perimeter of the grassy field, and stretching to the southern horizon, the hills rolled gently, interlaced with the silvery ribbons of many streams and narrow waterways. A cooling breeze licked softly around her as the sun warmed her face and arms. She breathed in the sweet air and sighed.
The sound of someone softly clearing his throat behind her didn't even make her jump. She turned.
Half hidden in the dappled shade, not ten feet from her, Leonardo stood, in full battle gear.
"Hi."
"Hi."
Lia said, "Well, you made it!" at the same time Leo said, "I didn't scare you did I?" She said "no", at the same time he said "yes," then they tried to repeat the whole thing, still talking over each other. Lia giggled. Leo smiled and shrugged. They stood quiet for a moment, facing one another.
"So, did you know it was me that time?" Leonardo asked.
"I think I did."
"But you didn't hear me?"
"No. I just knew you were there." Lia looked into the trees behind him. "Where's Raph?" she asked.
"He's down there." Leo stepped out of the trees and moved next to her, looking down the slope at the little trailer under the trees. "We both went in there first. Talked to Splinter. And Mike and Don. Had to get everyone caught up on what has happened."
"What has happened?" asked Lia.
"Ah..." Leo hesitated, eyes on the hillside below. "Nothing. Just, you know, stuff."
Lia knew he wasn't telling her something, and also knew it was pointless to pursue it. "Was it hard getting here?" she asked instead.
"No. We were pretty lucky."
"How is Raph doing? How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. What about you?"
"Pretty good," Lia smiled. "Maybe better all the time."
Leo cocked his head quizzically.
"Is Raphael ok?" asked Lia again.
"Raph's doing a little better. He still blames himself, which is probably my fault."
Lia frowned. "How is that your fault?"
Leo looked at her for an instant and then back out toward the southern horizon. "Argument we had. I probably didn't handle it very well. Even if I was right, I could have handled it better." He looked at her again and motioned her to join him. He sat down in the grass, soundlessly, crossing his legs beneath him in one fluid movement.
Lia sat down next to him in the low, scrubby grass. "You are so hard on yourself," she said.
Leo sighed. "Well, I know better. I just let my anger take over sometimes. I know better how to deal with Raph than what I usually end up doing."
"So, even with Raph you have to be perfect all the time?" Lia smiled.
Leo turned to her, serious. "I know it seems like I must believe that. But the thing is, that most of the time, for me, for all of us, it's been a matter of, do it right, do it perfectly, the first time, or get killed." He shrugged a little. "Gets to be habit."
Lia looked down and swallowed as the impact of that hit her.
"Hey," Leo ducked his head to meet her eyes. "I didn't mean that like any kind of put-down –"
"I know, I just forget…it's different for you…"
"Yeah, different," Leo repeated ironically.
"Ok. I guess that was quite an understatement."
"Actually, to me, it feels normal. It's just how it is. How it's always been."
Lia drew her knees up, clasping her hands around them. "Don't you feel like it was hard growing up like you did?"
"No. It was all we knew, really, except for what we saw on television. We didn't spend a lot of time wishing things were different. Or that we could be anybody but who we are. And we always had each other." Leo gazed out over the land below them. "That was the most important thing. My family is everything. Always has been."
"I can see how close you guys are. Even Raphael. You two really are pretty close, aren't you?"
Leo slowly shook his head. "He just wants so much more. I don't know. I understand some of it. But sometimes I think he enjoys being misunderstood."
"You're mad at him a lot, huh?"
"Not mad. I'm wary. He's reckless. And we can't afford that. I've always believed it's better to err on the side of caution. It's what has kept us alive. I don't think Raph even knows what that means. He never does listen to me." Leo turned to her. "And the thing is, you're right. I do love him. That's part of what makes it hard."
Lia nodded, struck once more by the transparent, light blue of the eyes behind the mask. "You think you two are that really different?"
"Sometimes it seems like the harder I pull one way, the harder he pulls the other."
"I wonder if you aren't more alike than you think." Lia pulled a blade of grass up and twisted it around her fingertips.
Leo's mouth drew back into a half-smile. "What do you mean?"
Lia shrugged a little. "I dunno." She tried to think of some factual evidence to back up what had just been an intuitive awareness. "Well, like how Raphael first acted when I was at your house. He was saying things like he was afraid my being there would cause problems with cops or people nosing around. That seems pretty cautious." It wasn't what she had actually meant, but it was all she could think of.
Leo shook his head. "You know what that was? Raph didn't want you there because I did."
Lia's eyes widened. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. Bringing you home was my idea. So Raph had to take the opposite side."
"Just to be obstinate?"
"Well, no." Leo looked up and out at the sky. "There was some history just before you showed up. A little conflict we were in the middle of…."
"What?" asked Lia, and then realized she was being awfully nosy. "You don't have to tell me," she quickly added.
"Well…" Leo hesitated. "Raph had put me in a uncomfortable position with some human – ah, some people. And I think I embarrassed him. And so he was still getting back at me when you showed up."
"He was getting back at you by yelling at me?"
"Raph doesn't always think these things through. I don't think he ever meant to hurt your feelings. He just reacts, you know? Without thinking."
Lia nodded. "So helping me was all your idea?"
"Not exactly. I mean, no one was against it, except Raph. But it didn't matter."
"What, you wouldn't have just let me slosh around there in the lovely sewer for another four or five hours?' Lia grinned. "Why not?"
"The way you looked," he said turning to her. "You looked so scared and alone. I could never have left you there."
His directness caught her off guard. She felt the heat rising in her face and she dropped her eyes, turning away.
"You're blushing," Leo said in a tone of wonder. He leaned forward, trying to see better. "Did I cause that?"
"I don't know, Leo…." Flustered, Lia covered her glowing cheeks with her hands. She closed her eyes. "Sometimes you have the strangest effect on me."
"You know," he said softly. "You have kind of an effect on me, too."
Her eyes flew open, but Leo was peering down the hillside at a late model Bronco pulling into the parking area. "Company," he said. "I'll meet you back down at the trailer in a while." He rose and disappeared back into the shadows of the woods. Not a sound; no rustle of underbrush, nor the snap of a twig underfoot. Nothing.
Lia stared into the trees behind her, and then dropped her head into her arms and wondered at the cyclone of feelings running through her.
She sat still for a long time it seemed, listening to her breath, listening to her heart. She heard the crunch of gravel underfoot and looked up. Below her on the trail a gangly figure was hiking rapidly up the hillside toward her, his eyes down, determination in his stride.
It was Jake.
Lia stood up and glanced around. She wished she could see one of the turtles, or Casey or even April. The new car in the parking lot had disgorged about six kids and they ran around the field merrily under the watchful eyes of their parents. Lia felt her breath speed up. Maybe she could run off into the trees if she had to, but she stood fast as Jake approached.
He looked agitated. He glanced from side to side nervously, a strand of black hair falling into his eyes.
"Hey," he said reaching her. "I need to talk to you."
"Ok…" she answered steadily.
Jake looked around again, peering into the trees for a moment, and pushing the hair out of his eyes. "You alone?" he asked breathlessly.
Lia didn't know what to answer. She didn't want to tell him she was alone, and the truth was, she wasn't sure whether she was or not. She shrugged, glancing around uncertainly.
"Ok, well, I gotta ask you something. Do you know who I am?"
Lia blinked. "Didn't I ask you that?"
"Yeah, well, I just wanted to make sure you hadn't blown it yet. Ok, look this is probably suicide, but I'm afraid you'll figure it out and spill the beans. So I need to tell you." Jake stood a little taller. "I know who you are."
"You know who I am? Who am I?"
"You are Lia Ana Skylord, Wife of Alex, Mistress of all Magical Rites of the Brotherhood of the Holy White Light."
Lia gasped. "Where did you hear that name? Who told you-?"
"You did." Jake stood solemnly, eyes on her. "You told me that was your name, when you introduced yourself, that night at the cathedral, when you told Tsui and me we could leave our posts. You said you had been assigned to guard those—those things."
Lia's heart thudded a sudden erratic beat. "You- you were one of the guards- you were there- at the cathedral! You're a- a-" Foot! she thought. Lia looked around quickly. Where is everyone? She started to back away.
"Wait! Wait!" Jake took a step forward. "Don't run off! Please! You've got to hear me out."
Lia paused, her breath shaky, watching him warily. "Ok, I'm listening."
"Ok," he said, looking feverishly around again. He certainly appeared more frightened than threatening. "First of all, I'm not what you think. I'm not really Foot. I had only been training with them a couple of months. And I'm sure not in the clan anymore, not since they decided it was my fault those turtle things escaped that night and I became numero uno on their hit list. Look, I had no idea you were so tight with those things. I thought you were on our side. I thought you were with those Brotherhood people and you and your old man had cut a deal to help bring 'em in."
"They aren't 'things'," Lia started.
"Oh, yeah. Right. Look," Jake's voice lowered. "You've got no idea what you're messing with here."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you don't know how dangerous those things are! Or what they do. They kill people. Listen to me, ok? I can understand how you might have felt sorry for them that night, but did anyone tell you why the Foot was going to execute them?"
"I think I know why," Lia said, keeping her voice steady. "But, what I really need to know is what are you doing here now?"
"What am I doing here? Cripes! It's because of you I'm here! You told me you were ordered to stand guard. I believed you and I dragged Tsui off with me, too. I did you a big favor. Well, Tsui's dead, and I would be too, if I hadn't run into that Sean kid. He said he knew some people who could get me out of town. What a joke! Turned out to be you, and those—turtles."
"Tsui—the other guard?" asked Lia. "He's dead?"
"They killed him. The Foot – they were pissed off big time. In their eyes Tsui and me committed a capitol crime. Even Yurikiki did herself in. And you know what? That's all your fault. You tricked us, and you let those monsters loose. So here's the thing, babe. You owe me. You owe Tsui."
Lia took another step back. "What do you want?"
"I want your word you won't tell them who I am."
"Why on earth did you tell me?"
" 'Cause you'd have figured it out. The way you kept looking at me, I was sure you already had. And I couldn't take that chance. It's weird, 'cause in one way I'm safer with them than anywhere else with the Foot after me. But if they knew who I was, I'd be dead in a New York minute." Jake looked quickly back down the hill again, still nervous.
"I can't do that - not tell them? They're my friends."
"No!" Jake hissed. "They're not your friends! They're not anybody's friends! They're killers running loose! Listen babe, you wanna know why the Foot came to recruit me? You know why they thought I'd want to join?"
"Why?"
"Because last winter the turtles killed my father."
"Oh my god…"
"Yeah, that's right. It was a huge battle; the same one Oroku Saki died in. The Foot told me my father was a member of the Elite guard. In fact, he was killed by the same one that killed Saki. The turtles killed my father, and twenty-eight others. Hell, they killed two more men just the other night. They would kill me, and they could just as easily kill you, if they thought they needed to, so don't kid yourself. And the thing is..." Jake leaned closer to her, his eyes dark." The thing is, they started all this. They came after the Foot unprovoked. This war is their deal, the Foot weren't looking for any trouble."
"That's not what they told me..." said Lia.
"Yeah. I'm sure it wasn't."
Lia swallowed. Jake was scaring her now.
"So, here's the deal. Not a word to them; those turtle things, or anyone else. If you tell them, I'm dead, and that's on you. All I want is to get far enough out of town, and I'm gone. Just don't blow this for me. I'm not interested in hurting anyone. I just want to get away from this whole stinking mess; the Foot, those turtles, all of it."
"So you …you do know why the Foot were after you."
"No shit. They almost caught me twice. Once on the street, and then at that chick's place."
"Wait—whose place?"
"Sean's friend. That was a bummer about her."
"Sunni…?"
"Yeah."
"The Foot followed you there."
"Yeah. We barely got out."
Lia drew a hand over her brow. "It was you…Raph thinks -"
"Don't tell anyone! They will kill me. They'll see just another Foot soldier. Listen, if nothing else, even if you don't feel any loyalty to your own species, you owe me this for letting you stand guard and free them. Please!" Jake looked around again, fear in his eyes. "All I want is to get away. Maybe the Foot won't hurt my Mom as long as I'm nowhere around. She's probably safe as long as she doesn't know where I am. Please!"
"Jake, I…" Lia's head was spinning.
"Look, Lia Ana Skylord, my life is in your hands. Don't blow this for me." Jake turned and loped back down the hill.
Lia slipped back into the trailer as Rose was waking up, her mind racing. No one else was in there, so she had a moment to think. They wouldn't do that, right? Kill an unarmed, frightened boy? That's crazy. And she had to tell them quickly.
"I'n hung'y," Rose announced. "I gotta go potty."
Taking Rose to the restroom gave Lia a few more moments to weigh things out. If Jake was so afraid of the turtles, why didn't he just leave? They were out of the U.S. now, this would be a good time to take off. Unless he thought the Foot were still chasing him. Unless he knew that.
And what would the turtles do to him? Maybe she should talk to April first. Or at least approach Mike or Don first? She frowned at the thought. Did she trust really Leo any less? Trust him to what? Not react with violence? Oh, great. Now I'm trying to make the decision for them…She washed Rose's little hands, and then washed her face in the cool concrete bunker of a restroom. Ok, I can't do this. I just have to tell them, tell whomever I see first. I can't try and second-guess them. I can't…
I can't let that poor kid get killed just because he loved his father!
Casey's shrill whistle was sounding as she walked Rose back outside, calling the stragglers in. The parking lot was empty once again.
"Hey! Yo! Let's roll guys!" Casey bellowed from under the hood of the Chevy. Grinning, he wiped the dip stick on a rag and gestured to Lia as she approached. "Go on, get in! Let's get outta here while we got a chance."
April was laying a folded blanket in the trunk. "They made it! They're here!" she beamed as Lia joined her.
"I know, I talked to Leo," said Lia. "I think I'd like to ride in the trailer, if that's ok."
Rose was tugging on Lia's hand. "I wanna see my turtles!" she urged.
"Fine with me, " said April. She regarded Lia with a curious expression. "You ok?" she asked.
"Me? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Little distracted. Ok, ok, Rose. We'll go find your turtles." Lia shrugged, pleased that Rose had backed her up so conveniently.
"Ok, catch ya at the next stop," April said.
As she turned, Lia caught sight of Jake in the back seat, twisted around watching her, a look of desperate pleading on his face.
"Oh, dear Goddess, let me do the right thing," Lia prayed, heading for the trailer.
Donatello quietly slid in the door, followed by Leonardo and Splinter. Moments later Mike and Raphael came tumbling in, laughing.
Don stuck his out the door and shouted "We're all here!" and there came the grumble of the engine as Casey fired up the Chevy.
Lia sat on the edge of the bunk opposite Splinter and lifted Rose into her lap, her heart pounding. She looked at Leo where he leaned against the sink, and bit her lip. He smiled, and then frowned a little, a question in his eyes.
How do I say this?
As they began to roll, Don lifted himself back up to his perch, and Raphael moved to the front and stood over Lia, resting an arm on Don's overhead bunk.
"Hey, Raph! Boy, its good to see y-," she smiled up at him, and then stopped, seeing his expression.
"So what did he say to you?" asked Raphael.
"Who?"
"That kid. The Jake kid. I saw him talking to you. What did he say?"
Lia gulped. She stroked Rose's hair, and looked around. "Ok, you guys, this is probably really—um, well, the thing is, it looks like we've managed to bring along a former Foot clan member on this trip…"
"A WHAT?" they shouted. "Who?"
"Jake—he told me he was one of the guards at the cathedral—one of the Foot I convinced to leave his post so I could-"
Leonardo was aghast. "We've got a Foot soldier riding in the car with April and Casey? How long have you known this?" Leo pulled away from the sink, looking from Lia to Splinter and up to Don.
"Ten minutes, Leo, ok? He just told me and I've been freaking out wondering what to do- -"
"Telling us would've been a real good first move!" snapped Raphael. He looked at Don who had turned and was frantically knocking on the small window, trying to get Casey's attention. They were already pulling out onto the frontage road on their way to the open highway.
"I was going to- ok? Whose side do you think I'm on?"
"Beats me!"
"I just didn't want anyone to get hurt!" Lia snapped right back at him. "Raph, don't yell at me!"
"Lia," said Leonardo quietly. "There is no such thing as a former Foot member. He's Foot, because if he was at one time, and now isn't, he'd be dead."
"Well, isn't that what they were trying to do? Leo,don't be mad …"
"I'm not. I just don't understand."
"There's nothing to understand, I was going to tell you."
"Yeah? When?" demanded Raphael. "Before or after he slits our throats?"
"Now! I was just about to! They were trying to kill him because they thought he'd betrayed the Foot by letting me release you guys—he's not part of them anymore! He's just a scared kid!"
"Why are you so determined to defend this guy?" asked Donatello from above her.
"I'm not defending—I'm just- oh, never mind." Lia covered her face with a hand, too angry to speak for a moment. Rose slid off her lap and climbed back up on the bunk next to her, watching, wide-eyed.
Michaelangelo had been looking at Lia dumbfounded. Rendering Mike speechless was quite an accomplishment, she realized.
"So, like, you thought we'd hurt him, if we knew?" Mike asked.
"I guess. I don't know. He sure thought so. He was so scared, he was begging me not to tell you. He was sure you would kill him."
"Yeah, well, he's a good guesser, then," said Raphael. "What the hell is a Foot doin' tagging along with us? Did he tell ya that?"
"He thinks he's safe from the Foot if he's with you guys. But he's scared to death of you. Raph, you can't-"
"Anyone else catch the irony in this?" asked Don over his shoulder as he continued to wave and rap on the overhead window.
"Yeah, " said Lia, looking up. "And he's not a 'Foot'. He's a scared kid. And they are not 'Foot', like they're not people or something. They are people. They're fathers and sons and frightened moms in Amherst..."
"Lia," said Leonardo. "I know what you're trying to say, but we can't afford to think like that. If we were ever to stop and think like that, it would be over for us."
Lia wanted to tell him about Jake's father. She wanted to make the point. She looked into those clear, light eyes and couldn't. It seemed hurtful, like winning the argument, the argument she had only an hour before decided she would never have, was not worth the price.
Splinter finally spoke. "It would seem that as long as this young man is not aware we know his secret, the opportunity exists to observe his actions and determine if he truly does or does not pose a threat." Splinter's eyes narrowed. "I overheard the conversation between Jake and Lia and I sense no ill intention on his part, only fear. I have for some time felt he was not who he claimed to be. We have the advantage, let us use this." He set his stick against the floor with an attitude of finality.
Leo lowered his eyes, turning to Splinter. "Then we will tell April and Casey as soon as we stop somewhere, Master?"
Splinter nodded, and Leo dropped his head in an small bow.
"Splinter," began Raphael. "Do you think it's a good idea to let him-?"
"I do," said Splinter.
Raphael exhaled sharply, but said nothing more.
"You overheard the conversation?" Lia asked Splinter, trying to remember everything she had said to him.
"I did," said Splinter and in a softer tone added. "I was concealed in the thicket behind you."
"Well, I'm really relieved that someone had been nearby, " Lia looked gratefully at Splinter. At least it seemed he was on her side. "See you guys? You can trust me. I'm not stupid-"
"It's not a matter of not trusting you," said Leo, turning back to her. "I don't have any doubts about your intentions, Lia. I think that your judgement sometimes gets clouded- "
"My judgement- ?" she bit down on the anger.
"And I think that's just because you care too much. About everyone."
"But Splinter just said the same thing!" Lia yelped.
"Splinter is in a position to make that decision . You aren't," said Leo flatly.
Lia opened her mouth, in astonished anger. She couldn't form the words to reply.
Behind Leo, Raphael snorted in what might have been agreement. Michaelangelo nodded.
"Mommy, I'm hungry," said Rose.
Lia tore her eyes away from Leo's, trying not to shake, and focusing on the two-year old. Let it go, Lia. You're not going to win against all of them. "Ok, Rosie, let's see what's in the cabinet here. I think there's some crackers." She started to stand, Leo taking a step back, when Donatellos' body slid heavily off the upper bunk, landing on both of them and nearly knocking Lia down.
"Don!" Leo and Raph caught him, lowering him to the rumbling floor. Donatello shuddered and moaned, his eyes shut tightly, hands clamped over his ears. Blood seeped between his white-knuckled fingers
"What the hell-!" cried Raph, as Mike knelt to join them.
"Get back, give him room!" ordered Leo. Lia scooped up Rose and tucked her legs back up on the lower bunk, out of the way. "Don! What is it?" Leo cried.
"This is what I spoke of earlier, Leonardo," said Splinter, his tone one of deliberate calm. He rested one hand feather soft on Don's shoulder. "There is no warning to these."
They watched helplessly as Donatello writhed in agony from the attack of his unseen assailant. He bared his teeth and foam flecked his mouth as he rolled, it seemed trying to escape his own body. He didn't cry out this time, though, as if to keep the battle contained, and his alone. It was fifteen minutes before the shaking subsided and Don was able to open his eyes. It was another five before he was able to speak.