author's little note: What can I say except I'm very VERY sorry for the delay ? I truly hope you'll enjoy it an think it was worth the wait.


Chapter 11: wind in the dark, run.

Mona Lisa assisted Don to clean up the lab, then headed to the floor. Even if blouse and gloves were mandatory when one played with potassium permanganate, she felt the fumes the experience created glued on her like a second skin. She already had scales, she really didn't need that. Plus her hair smelt weird now. All this for a failed experience. Oh well, ten minutes under the shower and she wouldn't think about it anymore she thought when she got there. But the door opened before she grabbed the handle, and Raphael came out.

"Oh Raph. I didn't know you were there."

"I just finished, the bathroom's yours." He slightly frowned, "what's that smell ?"

"Potassium permanganate. Don and I have been working on a smoke mechanism for the battle shell, but it didn't work that well."

Raphael raised an eyebrow.

"Is that why Mikey screamed the lair was on fire ?"

"The lair was NOT on fire Raphael. It was merely fumes. Toxic fumes yes, but fumes nonetheless."

Half-smirking, half-grinning, Raphael pointed to the bathroom behind him, "Go ahead."

As she passed in front him, Raphael grabbed her chin, kissed her forehead, gave her a wink and walked away.

As slippery as ever. Didn't even have time to say something, she thought.

But her smile faded as soon as he was out of reach, and she knew why: she was worried.

As she let the shower rain over her head and body, Mona Lisa's mind drifted to Raphael, and to be more precise, about their relationship to each other. She didn't dare speak about it and he never brought the subject up.

She pressed her lips together in a pale line. Even she was alone with her thoughts, she felt embarrassed. Whenever she thought about something that made her feel uneasy, she would always make a funny face and quickly look around to check if there was anybody who read her mind.

She knew it was stupid. But it's a habit she had since childhood.

I don't know what to think.

First of all, why ? If she had been human, the answer would have been simple: she was beautiful. Before her mutation, everyone told her so. If, during her human times, Mona Lisa wouldn't have gone that far, she did, however acknowledged she was pretty enough. But now…

Enough Mona Lisa ! stop crying over yourself. You're alive, you're healthy, you have a place to live, and friends to watch over you. Friends who were like this longer than you. It is THEM who should be complaining. You don't know where this relationship with Raphael is going? Give time to time girl, and furthermore, you should be discussing this with HIM, not with your sad self. And now get out of here: shower is not the best place to have a talk.

Satisfied with her auto critic, Mona Lisa opened the shower curtain just enough for her hand to get through. She grabbed her towel and pulled… and heard something. It was a small, light noise, one she would have probably not heard if she hadn't turned the shower off. It was familiar sound, yet she usually never heard it a bathroom.

Sounds like paper. Like a folded paper that felt from a desk.

Curious now, Mona Lisa wrapped the towel around her body, fully opened the curtain and scanned the room. The room wasn't that big so she quickly found it: under the towel holder was a small piece of paper, folded in four.

Mona Lisa took it. Where did it come from ? Did one of the brothers forget it ? But she only noticed it when she took her towel, did that mean one of the brothers left it there on purpose ? she opened and read;

Going for a tour tonight. You coming ? R


Raphael parked his bike in an alley.

"Where are we going ? "

"Tonight we're going to try something new: we're dancing."

" What ?"

" You want me to repeat that ?"

"Raphael, look at us: how do you expect us to go there without getting noticed ? We'll be kicked out the second we set a foot inside a dance club !"

"That's where you're wrong."

Raphael pulled a paper out his belt. Mona Lisa rode: Theme Night: Wild Jungle ! Let out the Animal in you !

" It will be easy for us to blend into the crowd with our scales and shells. Who'd be able to tell it's not a costume in the dark ?"

"It's… worth a try."

She heard the distant music. It was rapid, upbeat, the type of music she used to dance on until her feet were dead. The type of fun she used to have when she was normal. When she was human. It was there. A few meters away. She felt a wave of excitement run over her skin. She wanted to go there so much…

"Yes…" she slowly repeated, "it's definitely worth a try."

"Let's go then."

He took her hand and guided her in the waiting crowd below. Impressed with their "costumes", the doormen let them in after only a few minutes. The place was packed with dancers, some only had minor accessories like animal ears or striped leggings, but others had more complex costumes: Mona Lisa saw a girl entirely dressed as a raccoon, and two men in rhinoceroses.

And Raphael was right: no one was looking at them in a weird way.

The first tones of S&M reached her. Mona Lisa looked in wonder at the dance floor, vibrating with energy and light. Switching the roles, she led Raphael to the dance floor.

It's been years since she felt so free. It was good to feel normal, to be surrounded by other people then prison guards. These people were sharing their love for music, their energies, their talent, these people were looking at her, admiring the way she moved. She felt the attention. She felt alive.

They danced nonstop until Raphael felt his throat grow sour.

"I need a drink," he told Mona, pointing at the bar.

Mona Lisa gave him a small nod and carried on her dance.

"Redbull." Raphael asked.

The barman handed him his drink and said, "nice costume man."

"Thanks."

"Is that your girl ?" asked the barman above the music.

Raphael glanced behind him; Mona Lisa was still dancing, surrounded by a few dancers, both men and women, encouraging her to continue. Sipping his red bull, Raphael watched Mona Lisa. He didn't know how she did that, but she was doing it well; like a fish in the water, she followed the music flowing over her body. The red-clad turtle glanced back at the barman and nodded. The man behind the counter gave him a thumb up.

Raphael felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Mona Lisa.

" Can I take a sip ?"

She didn't ask actually, she only pointed to the can he was holding, and Raphael handed it t her as an answer.

"Here"

The barman laid two mojitos in front of them.

"Gift from the house," he said," you two are by far the best couple I've seen tonight."

The first tunes of te amo rang out in the room. Mona Lisa turned her head, like magnetized at the music. She quickly finished her drink and tried to drag Raphael away from his seat. He resisted a bit at first.

"Come on !" she encouraged him, "I love that music !"

He gave up and let her take him. He watched her give up her senses to the music, it was slow, sensual, and she was letting every note controlling her. There were other girls dancing, yet there was something in her that shined and that no one else had.

"Te amo, te amo," she says to me
I hear the pain in her voice

Mona Lisa wondered why she was feeling uneasy at those words.

Then we danced underneath the candelabra, she takes the lead
That's when I saw it in her eyes, it's over

And then she did something he would never forget: she pulled Raphael closer to her. She wanted to dance…. With him !

Then she said "te amo"
Then she put her hand around my waist
I told her no, she cried "te amo"
I told her I'm not gonna run away, but let me go

My soul is awry, without asking why
I said, "te amo, wish somebody' d tell me what she said"
Don't it mean "I love you"?

They circled around each other, eyes in eyes, without a word, letting the song speak for them.

Think it means "I love you"
Don't it mean "I love you"?

Te amo, te amo, she's scared to breathe
I hold her hand, I got no choice
Pulled me out on the beach, danced in the water, I start to leave
She's begging me and asking why it's over

Then she said "te amo"
Then she put her hand around my waist
I told her no, she cried "te amo"
I told her I'm not gonna run away, but let me go

My soul is awry, without asking why
I said, "te amo, wish somebody' d tell me what she said"
Don't it mean "I love you"?
Think it means "I love you"
Don't it mean "I love you"?

Listen we can dance, but you gotta watch your hands
Watch me all night, I'm movin' to the light because I understand
That we all need love and I'm not afraid
I feel the love, but I don't feel that way

I have to tell her.

I can't tell him.

Then she said "te amo"
Then she put her hand around my waist
I told her no, she cried "te amo"
I told her I'm not gonna run away, but let me go

My soul is awry, without asking why
I said, "te amo, wish somebody'd tell me what she said"
Don't it mean "I love you"?
Think it means "I love you"
Don't it mean "I love you"?

Think it means "I love you"
I love you
Te amo, te amo
Don't it mean I love you?

They had stopped dancing.

They stared at each other until Mona suggested it was time to leave.


"Everyone's asleep already ?"

"I think so. You go ahead Mona Lisa, I just have to lock the door and I'll be there."

It took him nearly five minutes to complete Donatello's instructions to close the doors and set the alarms back on. When the door light turned red, he gave it a small, satisfied nod and made it to the stairs. Last thing he expected was to see Mona Lisa there.

"Hey, I thought you were already gone to sleep-"

And at the end of the corridor was Leonardo.

He said nothing. He just kept staring at Mona Lisa who was too surprised to speak and as soon as Raphael was next to her, he finally asked;

"Where were you ?"

Although he spoke in a calm way, his voice sounded everything but peaceful. His cold, contained tone coupled with the expression he was about to burst out any moment made him unpredictable. Scary even. Mona Lisa opened her mouth to speak but Raphael bluntly told the truth.

"We were topside."

"The two of you ?"

"See anyone else ?"

Leo 's arms folded a bit stronger. If he was angrier or more jealous, he showed nothing of it : his expression remained the same.

"I hope you have a good reason for this."

"Why ? We don't need your permission to go outside, do we ?"

Raphael was provocative. And Leo played into his game.

"You know going outside is forbidden."

"Since when ?"

"Since forever Raphael ! Master Splinter repeats it every day: we are not allowed to go outside alone, unless we're all together or if it's to go see April and Casey !"

"What tells you we didn't go there ?"

"I called them. You weren't."

Mona Lisa looked at Raphael: Didn't he tell his family they left the lair for a few hours ? She didn't get an answer though, Raphael was too busy provoking his brother.

" Ok, so we were outside. Just the two of us. And you know what Leo ? I don't see what the problem is," Raphael said, slowly emphasizing each syllable.

They didn't have to wait to see the result.

"You disobeyed again ! And you're proud of it !"

"If Master Splinter has something to say, he can tell me himself. I don't need you to lecture me in his place Leo."

Leonardo angrily stared at his brother for a few seconds, then glanced (more like glared) at Mona Lisa.

"Mona Lisa, would you excuse us for a minute?"

"No."

Ignoring the bewildered look of the two brothers, Mona Lisa returned Leo 'stare, not intimidated one bit. Her silence clashed with her defiant pose: hands on the hips, head on the side, tail whipping behind her back and arrogant glare, she was openly challenging the Blue Leader. Everything in her screamed "try me."

"I too left the lair without permission. If you have something to say about it, I'm entitles to hear it as well."

Leonardo looked at her, than at Raphael's wicked smile, than at Mona Lisa.

An then he lost all patience.

"Are you mad ? Taking Mona Lisa on you tours !"

" I offered her to come and she said yes. You want to argue with someone, argue with her. What's wrong Leo? Can't stand that she's smart enough to question you or that she prefers my company to yours ?"

"She's not for you," he growled between his teeth.

Mona Lisa's eyes opened wide in surprise: it wasn't English just now, it was Japanese. Leonardo was speaking Japanese!

"You think she's for you ? What do you have to give her, Fearless ?"she heard Raphael reply.

What on earth are they saying ?I don't understand a thing ! she thought. And they don't even seem to mind !

Something was going wrong. Very wrong. Raphael was no longer taunting his brother. They looked ready to jump on each other. Leonardo no longer was the calm and composed ninja he usually was. She glanced at Raphael; he was in the same state.

His eyes…

His light brown eyes were turning yellow.

" You can't love her Leo," Raphael continued, "you wouldn't know how to! You'll respect her, appreciate her, but you'll have no love to give her! You'll only be with Mona Lisa by duty, not because you love her."

Leonardo felt a burning sensation on his face. It was so quick he did not see it. Blood rushed to his brain as he looked at his brother. But Raphael looked as bewildered and furious as he was. It was when they saw Mona Lisa with her hand raised that they finally understood.

She had slapped them.

Mona Lisa had slapped them both.

"Enough ! Both of you !"


I wonder what is noise ? It sounded like Mona Lisa. I better go see.


"This is not about going outside, or disobeying orders, this is about you ! It's about the fact you two cannot stand what the other is doing ! I refuse to have anything to do with your dispute, but most of all, I do not accept you use me as a justification for your fights !"

"Mona Lisa, this has nothing to do with you."

" It had something to do with me the moment you got my name involved in all this, Leonardo! And don't think you guys can get away by talking Japanese so I can't understand. I'm not so stupid !"

"This is our home," Leo answered, " we have the right to argue if we want to."

" You guys can argue as much as you want, be as childish as you want, just leave me out of it !"

"If you're not happy with it, why don't you just leave ?"

"What?"

She didn't scream or sounded angry, she sounded too calm. It took a few seconds for Raphael to realize what he just said, a few seconds too late.

It wasn't an idea he dropped, it was a bomb. And it just exploded at her face.

"You think I don't want to go back home? "she slowly started, "You think I don't want to see my parents again? You think I don't want to see Jason? I CAN'T come back Raphael! I'm DEAD! I'm gone! The human Mona Lisa they raised is DEAD! If I showed up on their doorstep they wouldn't recognize me. They… they…they… they wouldn't want to! They'd chase me! My father would even take his riffle and shoot me! He wouldn't recognize me! Even if he knows it's me… The human Mona Lisa is dead! The mutant Mona Lisa does not exist! Not in this world. Not in THEIR world! For them I'm DEAD! I died on that...on that... accident. 'Poor Mona Lisa… why wouldn't she wear a life jacket? She…she knew it was dangerous...' They'd rather know I'm dead on that boat rather than accept that I'm alive… and well…. But changed…. "

She suddenly felt very, very tired. All adrenaline was gone from her, taking away what hold her together until now. Mona Lisa no longer felt defiant or brave, she felt weak, weak from sad exhaustion, weak from all the bad memories she cautiously hid away that suddenly rushed back to her mind and boiled inside of her like a disease. They tasted acid like a rotten food.

"I'm tired." She said.

She passed in front of them, too quickly she thought, without looking. Neither Raph nor Leo tried to stop her. She only wanted one thing: to run.

Run from them.

Run from the inquisitive gaze Master Splinter gave her.

Run from the opening doors, before Mikey or Don came out.

Run from everyone.

Run from what she had done.

Run.

Disappear.

Close the door. Don't look back. Don't' cry.

Fall on the ground because legs gave up.

Go home, go home…

No, not home.

Can't go home. Nobody's home. No one's waiting for me there.

Don't cry.

I want to go home.

Sleep.

Forget. Forget, forget, forget , forget.

Forget the pain in her chest.

Forget the pain in her voice.

Forget Raph wanted her gone.

Forget him.

Forget them.

Forget she broke her unspoken promise to never hurt them.

Forget.

Close your eyes and forget, forget, forget, forget…


"My sons… I hope you have a good explanation for this."


Raphael looked at the clock: 10:30 pm.

Another hour to wait until he could go sleep and maybe find rest. Too tired to do anything, not enough to sleep. Stayed in his room most of the day. For the third day in a row. Didn't want to face his brothers. Or Mona Lisa. Gosh, the look on her face when she left.

Why did I say that ?

Why did he always say things that hurt ? Why didn't he understand sooner that Leo spoke Japanese on purpose so Mona Lisa wouldn't be hurt ? But he dragged her into this.

Master Splinter had locked them in his bureau afterwards, knowing they wouldn't dare fight here. They stayed there, alone, staring at the empty place behind the table where their master sat. They didn't know when he was going to be back. He didn't say. Leonardo felt all the bitterness and resentment from his brother without having to look at him, Raphael felt the urge to not look at his brother and read the reproach and coldness written on his face. For nearly ten minutes they stared at the tea set on the table before the blue-clad turtle spoke.

"Did Michelangelo or Donatello …"

"No. No they didn't know anything." Don't blame them. They didn't do anything. It's my fault.

Silence.

" Has there been a lot between you two?"

"We went out most of the time."

"So you guys never-"

"No."

Raphael remembered Leo took a deep breath before asking;

"Do you love her?"

"Not of your damn business."

"Does she love you?"

"Fuck off."

" Play mighty with me if you want but don't lie; you don't know.."

"Shut up."

"You don't know and you're scared she doesn't love you. You're scared because you never told her you loved her, but most of all, you're scared she rejects you."

"Shut up ! SHUP UP !"

"My sons !"

Did Master Splinter hear them ? He didn't know.

They messed up. They messed up big time. Leonardo and him even forgot to be mad at each other after Splinter's lecture.

He looked at his hands, his ugly green three-fingered hands and tears came blurring his visions: how could he think for one second that she would like him ? His hands punched and slapped where is brother's were gentles and soft.

" They say it's my fault. But I want her so much."

He felt as if someone took his sais and cut his body in pieces.

He felt like dying.

Someone pounded on his door.

"Raphael!"

Don…

" Give me a break Don."

"Raphael! Open the door!"

"What part did you not understand ? I said leave me alone!"

"We don't have time for this Raphael, Mona Lisa's gone !"


"She can't be too far, the video cameras showed she left less than an hour ago."

"But she didn't leave for good right ? Right Don ?"

Donatello bit his lips and glanced above his shoulder as he kept running on the roofs : Mikey was close behind him, followed by Raph, Leo and Casey. Everyone was concerned.

"I don't think so Mikey, "answered Don, " Her things are still in her room. But she left without telling anyone and worst part is she headed west."

West. Purple dragons.

"Purple dragon territory is huge," he heard Casey say, "She could be anywhere!"

Leo ordered them to stop.

"We're going to split. Raph and Casey, you go west from here then up north. Mikey , Don and I will go east then I'll head south . Keep in contact."

Raphael and Casey parted west.

"Why on earth would she leave without telling anyone ? She never did that before."

The answer Casey expected did not come. An idea formed into his mind.

" Raphael, does this have anything to do with you ?"

No answer. Casey stopped running.

"Raphael, you only don't answer when you know you're at fault. What happened ?"

"I'll tell you on the way, first let's find her."

He was half-way through the story when he spotted her on a higher building. Raphael cut his speech short and waved for Casey to follow him.

"Mona Lisa," Casey rushed toward her, "Thank God we found you!"

Mona Lisa had no reaction. She had her back turned on them, holding her pink handkerchief in one hand while the other rested on the building security fence. Her head and shouldered were a bit lowered down, and she was quivering.

"Mona Lisa, you alright ? Mona talk to me !"

He saw it coming before he even finished his sentence: Mona Lisa's body was slowly slipping down. The back of her head faintly hit his plastron as Raphael's strong arms caught her in her fall. He thought she weighted way too light. Kneeling down , he laid her on the roof and let her head rest on his knees.

"Raphael, look."

The turtle looked down below and understood;

Families.

Families leaving the theater across the street.

Feeling a twinge of sadness, Raphael watched two young parents holding their daughter's hands. They looked happy and carefree, on their way home after a pleasant movie. The little girl jumped, and her parents carried her in her jump. The little girl was saying; " Mommy, Daddy, Look ! I'm flying !" and they said; "yes baby you are ! look at you !"

Casey and Raphael looked at each other, then at Mona Lisa. Without a word, Casey knelt to her side and ran his finger through her hair.

"Let's go," he finally said.


A few hours later in the living room…

"What are you watching Raph?" Michelangelo jumped at his side on the sofa, " A series?"

"Yes."

"Something I know?"

"Yes, it's called 'get the fuck out of here' and the episode is 'the door's that way.'"

Mikey pouted.

"Fine, if you take it that way… I just wanted to tell you Mona is ok but since you're sooooo busy." He got up, "I'll leave you to it."

"How is she ? "

" She woke up for few minutes before falling back to sleep. But it doesn't matter right ? Because she should just leave."

Mikey folded his arm and shot Raphael a look that said "you know damn well what I'm talking about." There was no point hiding it.

"So you know."

"Dude, everyone knows," he waited two seconds before adding, " What were you thinking ?"

"I didn't mean it that way!"

"You can tell her: she's now convinced that it's better for her to go. She spent the past three days blaming herself for what happened, and had you and Leo not hide in your rooms like babies, you would have noticed it too !"

" I didn't know…"

Leaving ? Was she seriously thinking about it ? Oh Shell…

Mikey sat back next to his brother.

" Just so you know, Don and I are angry against you two. And so is Splinter. And Casey. And April."

"…"

"Because while Leo and you hid in your rooms, we tried to keep Mona Lisa busy so she wouldn't dwell on it forever. Of course, it would have been much easier if you had helped us…"

"I get it Mikey !"

"No I don't think you do: she's desperate. It's your fault, and she's paying for it, it's your fault, and we have to make up for your mistake."

" …"

What could he answer to that ?

"You, hum… came in saying Mona Lisa was feeling better ? So, how is she ?"

"Are you sure you don't mind Michelangelo ?"

"Master Splinter, I'd be willing to watch over Mona Lisa in a hospital room for a week if it could make her feel better. So watching over her for tonight is no problem."

The old rat had a low chuckle.

"Thank you my son."

He knew he made a wise choice. His youngest may act like a child sometimes, but he was always the first one to watch over an ill sibling. Raphael and him had this same habit in fact. But…

"Sensei, could you tell me what happened ?"

"So Master Splinter asked you to stand guard ?"

Mikey nodded.

"I slept in the extra futon we have, I just installed it next to her bed. Donny helped me. He said it's better someone stays in case she has pains."

Pain ? "What do you mean ?"

"Don said it's because of her mutation, you see ? The nuclear water and mutation products she almost drowned in make their presence feel again sometimes. And if she doesn't rest enough, it can become really painful."

I didn't know that. Now I understand why Don insisted so much on her medical care, " And ?"

"Nah, it was ok. She was just exhausted. She emerged around 6am, saw I was here, said hi, and went back to sleep. Since she was ok, I went back into my room." He leant back a bit, "When I asked her why she fainted, she said she broke."

"Broke ?"

" She said something in her broke."

The orange turtle switched his hand from folded on his plastron to folded behind his head and asked;

"So how are you gonna make up for it ?"

There was pure curiosity in his voice. Raphael shot Mikey a suspicious look.

"You're not angry anymore ? What happened to the whole see-what-you-did-you-freaking-jerk-how-could-you thing ?"

"First, I don't like to see everyone sad, and second, " he looked a bit embarrassed, "I love you all too damn much to stay mad too long. So I guess I'm already over it."

Mikey's too nice for his own good, Raphael thought. But deep down, he was grateful.

"Mona Lisa will eventually apologize to you because that's who she is but you, how are you gonna make up for it ?"

"I have no idea."

"You have no idea, Leo has no idea, that's it. We're screwed."

"You know I'm no good with words. Concessions and apologies are not my things at all."

"Dude, ever heard the expression 'acts speak louder than words ?' If you can't tell her you're sorry, show her. "

Raphael seemed to withdraw in his on shell to think. He didn't raise an eye when Mikey grabbed the remote control and switched.

"Mikey," he suddenly said, "if I had an idea, would you help me ?"

"Of course."

Raphael got up.

"You and Leo come in the lab at… let's say 8 pm. I'll ask April to set up a diversion to lure Mona Lisa away from the lair for the evening. I'll tell the details later, but first I have to talk to Don and Splinter."

Mikey watched his older brother leave the room and smiled. No need to tell him Master Splinter foresaw Raphael would go to him soon, and no need to tell him about what Splinter said either.

"Sensei, could you tell me what happened ?"

Master Splinter had sighed, and slowly, almost reluctantly, repeated what Leonardo and Raphael told him.

"She SLAPPED them ?"

"Apparently."

"Master Splinter we're talking about Leonardo and Raphael, THE Raphael. No one ever did this before. Not even you Sensei, no offence."

" None taken my son," the old rat slightly bent forward and said, "I would never tell this to your brothers, but I believe this incident Is a good thing."

"How so ?"

Splinter gave his son a mysterious smile before adding; "For Raphael to love, he needs resistance."


"Everybody here ?"

"We were just waiting for you Casey, " Leonardo greeted him.

" Glad you could come Casey, want some popcorn ? I figured it will be a long night."

Casey took a handful of the popcorn Mikey was offering him and stuffed it in his mouth.

"I didn't want to miss the party (he swallowed) but Raph, are you serious when you say you're going to find her family ?"

"Yes, " he said without leaving the computer Don and him were working on, "Mona Lisa never returned home. I want to know why."

" Maybe because she grew a tail and scales ?" Mikey innocently asked.

"I don't think it's the sole reason, but there's a family out there whose daughter is missing, and a friend living here who's now an orphan. Call me cynical but I don't find it normal. "

For the first time since Casey arrived, Don and Raphael turned towards him.

"That's why Mona Lisa had to be gone for the evening. Where is she?"

Casey gave the brother a wicked smile.

"April kidnapped her for the night. She said something about bio cosmetics to create, horror movies to watch and tons of ice cream to eat, so we won't be found out."

The genius turtle, who was silent until then, waved for everyone to come forward.

" When Raphael told me about his idea, I began a research on Mona Lisa's disappearance. I already dug out some info."

Leonardo sat in a nearby chair.

"What kind?"

"Just the classic, basic information: date and place of birth, classes, college inscription and I discovered something funny," Donatello opened a page on the screen "According to the police files, Mona Lisa is declared deceased."

Raphael snorted.

"We don't have the same definition of 'funny' Don."

" No seriously; it takes a couple of years of disappearance before the authorities declare someone deceased. Normally, she should be just missing."

"How long has she been missing ?"

"She's been missing for a while. Look."

He clicked on a link. The homepage of a newspaper opened, and almost simultaneously, an article appeared;

Disappearance at sea

Pleasant cruise turned to disaster today as three students were attacked by notorious Captain Filch during their boat trip. Two of the students, saved by coastguards, managed to escape the pirate by jumping overboard but do not know what became of their friend: 21 year old Mona Lisa, 5"2, long brown hair, brown eyes, last seen wearing a pink summer dress and a sport bag.

Authorities immediately triggered the alarm but there is still no sign of the missing girl despite the important were put in place. In order to prevent attacks, pleasure boats and cargo ships shall not leave the harbor until further notice, unless escorted by military boats.

"This article dates back to two years ago. Mona Lisa's disappearance and Filch attacks made the front page for a month until the media lost its interest, since the investigation was going nowhere . I could have left my research here but that would mean leaving the job half-finished. And I, for one, hate to leave an unsolved task. And then I found this."

Donatello clicked, another newspaper page appeared on the screen:

Body discovered

The body of Mona Lisa, 23, who disappeared two years ago was discovered this morning. The coastguards saw what they first thought to be a "floating piece of wood", which turned out to be a body attached on a broken rowboat. The body, disfigured by the elements, was yet officially identified by Maxwell Jonas, a close friend of the victim.

"I still can't believe it's her," A very devastated Maxwell told us, " I kept hoping till the end we will find her. That she'll come back…until the end…"

Mona Lisa and her friends were attacked by Captain Filch while enjoying a boat trip on a nice summer day. Sole prisoner of the pirate, it is believed the young girl was kept hostage for more than two years. The body will be repatriated to her hometown (Tampa) in a few days. Our thoughts go to her family and friends.

The painful reality reached their minds before they finished reading the article.

"So technically…"

Donatello nodded.

"Mona Lisa is officially dead."

Raphael looked away.

"Shell… no wonder she never returned home."

" But she can't be dead ! She's with us."

"I know Mikey, that's what I was trying to figure out when you arrived. So I dug a little deeper and here's what I found out. "

Donatello pointed to something on the screen.

"I hacked into the police file and found her report. It says there was no autopsy. Look, pictures show the body's disfigured, but I guess since she was officially indentified they thought an autopsy was no use."

"Who identified her ?"

"Let me see…There !"

Leonardo leant forward.

" Maxwell Jonas, I don't have anything on him except ' close friend of the victim.' "

"Dude, that's one accurate piece of information."

"It is Mikey. 'A very close friend of the victim' is often a euphemism to say that man was the victim's boyfriend," Donatello added when he saw his brother puzzled look.

"If there was no autopsy, there's no way this guy could have identified this girl as Mona Lisa. Why would he lie like this ?"

"I don't know Casey," genius turtle was forced to admit, "I don't understand either."

Casey scratched his black hair, bending his head on the side as a sign he was thinking. A little harder, and you would have seen smoke coming out of his ears.

"You said she's from Tampa?"

"Yes."

"That's in Florida, right?"

"Yes Casey, what's your point?"

"It just so happens that April and I will be there next week to visit her parents. You want me to check it out?"


Someone knocked on the door. The barman stopped cleaning the glass he hold and looked at the clock, curious: 8 am. The club closed less than an hour ago. Tired, he ignored the knock and he resumed his wash until the knock returned, louder this time.

"The club is closed," he shouted at whoever was at the door, "Come back later."

There was a loud crack: the man broke the door as easily as he would have cracked an egg. He was much taller than an ordinary man, with long blond hair and a dragon tattoo covered his broad shoulders and arm. His arms were as thick as legs and his legs as thick as trees, the ground shook under his steps.

The barman felt all his tired vanish and replaced by panic. His mouth suddenly dried and he started to sweat uncontrollably. Words stuttered on his lips as the giant man approached him.

"M…m..M. Hun, sir. I…I didn't expect you.." he swallowed,

"Got something to hide ?" Hun slowly asked, enjoying the terror in the man's eyes.

" N-no sir ! Of course not ! I-I-I paid my rent to the purple dragons in time…"

"Relax. I'm not here for the rent, " Hun saw the man relaxing a bit. Good. He wouldn't get what he came for if the man was too terrified to speak, "In fact," he resumed, "I might consider offering you the next two months rent if you answer me: Have you seen this girl ?"

The Barman's hand shook as he took the photo Hun handed him. It was unusual for the Purple Dragon Boss to look for someone himself. Was she an unfaithful mistress who ran away ? Did she owed him money and forgot to pay ? Bad idea.

He looked at the picture. Girls, he knew them. He saw hundreds of them every night, most of them he would chat and flirt with them and forget them the second they left. But this one…

"Oh, the lizard girl…she came here a couple of night ago during theme night with her boyfriend. I offered them a drink."

"Do you often offer drinks to your costumers ?"

"N-no sir, but I made an exception for those two: they had such beautiful costumes," he almost whined the last words when he saw Hun's eyes turn stone.

The purple dragon grabbed his photo and put it back in his coat.

"Keep your eyes open," he said on his way out, "and if you ever see them again, call me. If your information lead to her capture, your business will soar beyond your wildest dreams."


Hope you liked it!

R&R please ^^