Ch.12: Monster Hunt
Sweat threatened to pour down Rachel's face as she and her gun-toting friend walked upon the Purple Dragons turf. The local gang had been a bit of an obstacle to get across once the Boss decided to expand his operations in this area.
No thugs liked to have their territory stepped on. They would fight to the death before anyone took what was theirs.
As if to symbolize this statement, the thugs glaring at Rachel and company, pounded their chains and crowbars threateningly in their hands, showing that they meant business. Rachel was trying every trick she could to not show how scared she truly was, but clearly her 'friend' noticed.
"Suck up that fear" he said " we need to look strong for the meeting of their boss."
"Easy for him to say," thought Rachel, angrily.
Xever was already at the point where nothing scared him that easily. Not even the big, blonde, heavily muscled man that sat behind a desk when they entered the base. This is the man they had come to meet, the Purple Dragons leader, Hun.
"Well, well, well" said Hun, motioning a couple of men standing beside him to put their weapons down " So Ghidora finally wishes to speak. What can I possibly do to aid an enemy on my turf?"
"The Boss would like to make a deal" said Xever " we give you back some of your turf in exchange for some information about monsters, particularly of the turtle kind."
"Hmm, the turtles?" said Hun " Sure, I can tell you a lot. What do want to know?"
"Everything Hun" said Xever, sporting a smirk " everything."
Meanwhile, back in the turtles lair, not to long after Raphael had gotten back from the will reading, Donatello called his brothers over to his lab where he could report on what he had learned about the gang that marked their van.
"They call themselves Ghidora" said Don " They're a new gang, recently formed here in America, but have become known for some pretty big crimes, especially those dealing with the black market."
"So they're in the steal and trade business huh?" said Raph.
"Basically," said Don " In fact, that warehouse we found them robbing last night was a secret reserve for some military weapons before they traveled upstate."
"Any word on a boss?" asked Leo.
"He's secretive" said Don, shaking his head " no one has caught a glimpse. However, all members of his gang can definitely be identified by that fire symbol. Find those floating around, and maybe we can track this guy."
"Then that's what we'll do," said Leo.
"Yeah" said Raph, stripping out of his disguise " just let me put this bear in my room first."
"Ooo" teased Mikey " looks like Raph has a little teddy to sleep with."
"Can it Mikey!" yelled Raph " It's not mine, it's Rachel's. All I have to is give this back to her, and Mrs. M's will, will be done."
"Then why not call Casey and have him take it over?" asked Leo "If that is the only thing that you have left to do, then he can take care of it tonight. While Casey is busy doing that, we'll hunt for clues about Ghidora."
"Alright fine" said Raph, pulling out his shell-cell " I'll call Casey to take the bear."
A few minutes later, Casey came down to the sewers, retrieved the stuffed toy, and went back above ground to accomplish the task. Comforted that the last wish in Mrs. M's will would finally be carried out, the turtle brothers nodded to each other and ran for the streets above, hunting for Ghidora.
Rachel was not expecting any visitors when she heard a knock on her door, a good hour after she had finally made it back home. Instantly, her nerves were on edge when she turned the knob. Was it Xever? Hun?
Luckily, when the door opened, it was neither of the two, but instead that tall man she and Thomas had met back in the hospital, Casey Jones, Raphael's friend. Immediately, Rachel's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Just returning your teddy bear lady" said Casey, handing over the toy " Raph sent me to do the task since he's busy tonight."
"Oh really" said Rachel, taking the bear and throwing on her floor " and what exactly is busy with? Being a vampire?"
"What?" asked Casey surprised " Why would ask that?"
"He prefers to shield himself beneath clothes during the day" said Rachel " My guess is that he's fearful of the sun."
"No way" said Casey "Raph can handle daylight, he just doesn't like folks seeing him is all. And he's not a vampire, trust me."
"Then what exactly is he then?" asked Rachel, glaring hard as she leaned close.
At that question, Casey immediately stumbled back to where he had parked his motorcycle on the street.
"Nothing… nothing at all," said Casey, jumping onto the bike.
Rachel grinned as she watched Casey turn the motor on and left. Finally, when the human was out of sight, Rachel closed her door, and brought out the shell-cell she had snatched from Casey's waist.
A wicked smile curled on her lips. With this, she would finally be able to pay off her Ghidora debt, and get revenge on the one she blamed for her misfortune on the will.