R: "is it the good part yet?"
RB4E: "Read it and find out."
The next morning,I woke to the sound of my alarm clock being abruptly turned off. Turning over,I saw that Raphs arm was carelessly drapped over the top of my
nightstand. Sitting up slightly, I reached for the alarm clock. Just as I got close enough to grab it, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me to him,with my
head on his chest.
"Mornin Babe."
He said groggily,looking me in the eye.
"Morning"
I returned,nuzzling into his chest,and he kissed the top of my head.
"Id'nt today yur day off?"
He asked,running his fingers along my back. I had to admit,laying there with him made me want to forget everything that was going on but,I had made a promise
to April and I couldn't break it. Holding Raph a minute longer,I got up,gave him a quick kiss, and made my way off the bed.
"I promised April that I would meet her and Don at the shop this morning."
I explained,surveying the room for clothes to change into. Out of the corner of my eye,I could see Raph watching me, as I picked up my favorite pair of jeans and
pulled a random t-shirt from my closet. Balling them up in my arms, I went to my door and peeked out to see if anyone was around. Afterward,I stepped
out,glanced at Raph once,and went to the bathroom to clean up and change. When I was done I headed back to my room,where I found an empty bed and an open
window. A minute after I stepped back into the room,my shell cell went off. Grabbing it from my nightstand,I flipped it open.
" I'll meet ya at the shop Babe."
Came Raphs voice and a smile instantly crossed my lips.
"Ok,I'll see you there Raph."
I said,while throwing a few things into my backpack.
"Uhh,hey,"
He started.
" Thanks fur last night."
He said and the smile on my face grew wider.
"No problem."
I replied. After shutting the phone,I put it in my backpack and headed out.I arrived at the shop exactly at nine and found April there waiting for me. Pulling the
store keys out,I unlocked the door and we both stepped inside.
"Don in the back?"
I asked and she nodded as we both headed in that direction. We found Don waiting in the store room.
"Hey Donny"
I acknowledged.
"Hi,so,what is this thing April was telling me about?"
Walking towards one of the shelves, I pulled a few boxes down and set them on the floor. Lighting the small lantern nearby,I turned it up enough to light the shelf
that I had just cleared. Don moved closer to the shelf and peered through the space to the back wall.
"No way."
He said as he continued to stare.
"You see it?"
I asked, to confirm my suspicions. Turning to April,Don addressed the issue further.
"Its definately the same symbol that we saw when we first came accross the sword."
He started
"But,how do we find out if this is where it is being kept?"
At his question, a thought occured to me. Eyeing the room,I noticed the large metal pole in the corner.Walking past Don and April,I picked it up and stepped
back towards the shelf. Don and April backed away, staring at me, and I readied myself.
'The owner's gonna kill me for this.'
I thought, holding the pole somewhat like you would hold a spear. Bringing it back as far as I could,I rammed the pole into the wall with as much force as I could
muster. It broke through with little difficulty,and there was now a noticable hole where the symbol had been. Pulling it back out,I set it aside and walked
over,pulling the small wooden shelf off it's metal rungs. Setting the shelf on the floor I picked up the lantern again and shown the light at the wall. Don,coming
over,reached into the hole and pulled out a small cloth bag. Untying it,we found that it was pieces of a broken sword. As we stood there staring at it, someone
else decided to drop in.
"Hey, did I miss anythin?"
Asked Raph, coming through the back door. Don turned his attention to Raph and pulled him to one side. I watched them for a minute and saw Raphs expression
turn more serious. A minute later he pulled out his shell cell and hit a random button. Glancing in my direction, he gave a half smirk and I felt a little better about
everything. Don came back over to me and April and started to explain things.
" The other two are headed over here, so that we can keep a close eye on this."
He started, pointing at the broken sword.
" I'll have to do some more research to confirm a few things so I'll be in the van most of the time."
He finished.Nodding,I tied the cloth bag again and placed it back in the hole,replacing the shelf and it's contents.I noticed Raph look at the hole in the wall with a
bit of a confused expression.
"How'd dat happen?"
He asked.
"I did it."
I explained shyly. The others arrived in a matter of minutes and Don explained everything to them. I saw them nod, as Don walked out, to the van parked around
the corner. A long few hours went by, while Raph and Leo stood watch over the store room, and Mikey kept me company in the front. He kept my spirits up with
a few jokes and stuff like that, as I stayed busy by doing a bit of inventory. Every once in a while I would glance at Raph,who,in turn,glanced back at me and
smirked. Suddenly,a cold feeling hit the pit of my stomache and spread through my entire body. Something bad was coming and fast but, I was frozen in place
and the small candle I held, fell from my hand to the floor.By the time anything was said,it was too late, a smoke bomb crashed through the front window
followed by,what I could only guess,were foot ninja. They immediately engaged the guys and April in battle and I was left feeling defenseless. Before I knew it,I
was knocked to the floor by Raph,who protected me from several of the foot.
" Stay in the back!"
He ordered and I did as I was told. As I made my way to the very back of the room,I peaked through the crack in the door,only to witness an unconscious
Donatello, being carried out of the van by several elite ninja.
"Donny!!!"
I yelled and it seemed as though the fighting immediately stopped. The other three turned their attention to me,and as quickly as they had come,the foot ninja
dissappeared under the cover of another smoke bomb. Mikey,Leo,and Raph rushed out the back door to the van and threw it open,finding it empty. April stood,
staring from the door and I sank to the floor,wishing that I could have done something. Suddenly,something caught my attention in the front. A piece of paper
seemed to fall from off of the counter. Getting up, I walked to the front and picked it up,reading it to myself. I was again,grief-stricken at the words scribbled
upon it and at the same time,slightly confused, for the note read;
" If you ever want to see your brothers alive again,bring the sword to the designated location at the designated time."
There was an address and a date printed below.Something was telling me to call home,so,note in hand,I dug into my backpack and pulled out my shell cell.
Dialing my home number,I waited for someone to pick up. My mother was the one to answer and her tone told me everything.
" Brandie? I've been worried about you,have you seen your brother today?"
She asked,sounding more worried by the second.
"No, I haven't, what's wrong?"
I asked,the feeling in the pit of my stomache returning.
" He hasn't come home yet and he is usually here by now."
She answered. Glancing at the note in my hand,it was now clear as to why it had been written the way it was. Not wanting my mom to panic,I did my best to calm
her down.
"Don't worry mom,I'll find him."
I reassured in the calmest voice possible. She took a deep breath and we said or goodbyes before I shut the phone once again. Things were getting to be a little
too much and I hit my knees, as tears began to well in my eyes. The others came to the front, saw me crying,and noticed the note in my hand. Mikey was the one
to inquire about it and I stood, handing it to them. After reading it,Leo looked to me for an explaination concerning the wording of it. With my head halfway
hung,I told them about my brother.
"They've got Jake too."
I said,a few tears still finding their way down my face. There was one thing the foot was soon going to find out about me. Fucking with my family is a one way
ticket to the death house.