Chapter Two

The Search for Leo

Part 3

Donatello's Cure

Wednesday Evening

The security division's holographic city grid looked impressive. It spanned the room, bright red and yellow spots moving and milling about, pastel circles coming and going, neon green grid lines splitting the view into eight sizeable sections. Manhattan was a busy, bustling place on pride of display.

It looked good, but then Donatello started delving into where the information came from. Back in a quiet IT room eight black dragons sat, silently coding into their computers what their senses picked up of the neighbourhoods under their watch. While that was interesting from an astral physics perspective, Donatello found it tragically useless in his search for more trans-dimensional portal knowledge. Being around living dinosaurs was biologically fascinating, but holographic technology was old news.

"Getting anywhere, Don?" Raphael roused as he stepped into the grid room.
Choosing the most polite thoughts from his head, Donatello answered his red masked brother. "It's certainly a different system you guys have, Raph-." He watched his brother folded his arms across his chest.
"If you wanna put down your techno-geek for a bit, Don," Raphael 'suggested' in a firm tone, "I can offer your ninja side a real good deal right now. Wanna join us on this next one when it pops up? You'll get to see a large portal right up close with your own eyes."

It was the most wonderful thing Donatello had heard in a long time. Raphael didn't expect him to come up with an answer yesterday. He didn't even expect any answer right now, just his company. The chance for scientific exploration just sweetened the deal.
"Sure," Donatello answered happily, "I'd love to help you, Raph."
Raphael gestured him to follow.

"We do every Category A and B portal the same way," Raphael explained as he led Donatello out of the technician's area and into a meeting room designed for ten to fifteen people. Seated at the table were Casey, April, and six other dragons in human shape. "Anything not normal and we got a chance at dying," Raphael emphasised, "We stick to the rules and we stay alive." The tone of Raphael's voice was grim and hard worn.
"Sure, Raph. So what's the plan?"

Donatello watched his brother cross his arms, casting his eyes around the room, "What we got to our advantage is pack status." Raphael seemed to be casually reminding the regulars in his team as well. "We also got a three dimensional scope to launch our attack from. We square him off and take him down; nothing fancy. If he ain't in the open we lure him out, square him off and then take him down; four on the ground four from above. It only takes eight in the right places, so stay in your place." Raphael stated, looking at them. "Anyone wanna Q&A today? Donny?"
The room was silent. Donatello looked around. The plan Raphael told was simple, basic and blunt. It was probably the same way in his head. So simple he'd said 'square' when what he was describing was actually a 'cube', and two squares did not nine people need. Adding himself into the equation and Donatello had a headache, "Four from above?"
"You'll see it, Donny," April stated with a smile. "Raph's right; we use the same pattern of attack for a similar target to get similar outcome."
"Alright!" Casey enthused, "Let's do it!"
"Wait," a man looking Chinese at the door stopped them, "Splinterson, this one's on the Asphalt Green."

"Okay thanks, Chen, I was busy on basics," Raphael straightened, "Square him off, guys; four on the ground, four from above." Raphael looked around, "Nice wide open space, guys. Who wants obfuscation duty?"
"Oh, I do!" April enthused, "I hope Bishop turns up; he's a challenge."
"So Don and me take the fourth corner and you watch our backs. Let's go." Raphael stated.

In a blur, Donatello found himself standing on the playing field. He had no idea how he got here but then Raphael stepped up beside him and he realised that was kind of irrelevant right now. "Gonna come out roadside centre, Don, keep your eyes peeled."
Donatello turned to look at the field extending into the distance. "How can you tell, Raph?"
"I can just sense it. You know, the air vibrates, Don. You just know there's a Ninja behind you. Or a big lumberin' ugly. Or a used car salesman or a mangy cat stuck in a dumpster. Maybe you ain't got a bead on it yet, but you focus hard enough you'll know something's on the lurk."

"Skims, Katerina you take the south side." Raphael addressed his team, "We got a lot of space here guys, let's be sure we keep it even between us as much as we can. Liliana, go long and keep clear of that fence, will you?"
"Geez, RS, that only happened once," the thin girl with the blue coloured hair grumbled.
"Yeah," Raphael stated, "And it just happened to be the last time I stuck you next to this fence so here's your chance to break the record. Huan, Ricardo, Lin, Casey, don't bunch up. Any of us start bunching up and we back off and straighten up for another turn, alright? Keep getting back to our squares and rule that luck clean out." Raphael stepped on to a point and then stopped, equidistant to the others and drew out the broadsword.

Donatello got his two katana into his hands and watched the potent air in the middle of the square. After seeing the Foot get demolished by that beast earlier, Donatello couldn't blame Raphael for being obsessed with his squares. This was a dangerous job if not handled professionally.

He glanced around but couldn't see any flight machines. "Raph, when you said above-."
"Focus, Donny: Category A," Raphael reprimanded him. "This one ain't an acid spitter but it's got a couple dozen tentacles to make up for it."
"Oh, right, sorry." Donatello turned back to facing the empty space between them all. He was about to see what all the fuss was about close and personal.