"After bypassing like about a billion security firewalls, I managed to find a whole lot on the Spirit Hunters. Their whole history on tracking down the spirit guardians. Even their security detail and managed to download a copy of their interior floor plan. After all, Cadence was so kind to give us the exterior." Donny swiveled in his chair, looking from the large monitor screen in his lap to his brothers behind him. Each time he turned around, he half expected to see Cadence walk in on them, but it was two in the morning.

"Is this infiltration going to be similar to when we first infiltrated the Shredder's compound?" Mikey asked, knowing the answer right as the words slipped. The slumped shoulders from Donny affirmed, along with both Leo's and Raphael's stern gaze that were focused on the building's floor plan.

"Well, where is the executive's office? If it's on one of the top floors, maybe we can just drop down on them instead of working our way up." Raphael took a glance over at Leo before watching Donny type away on the massive keyboard.

"From the looks of it, it seems the Spirit Hunters are just like every other human being. The executive's office is on the top floor, a corner office. It's also the building on the right. From what I have gathered, the building on the left is the manufacturing area. The one on the right is the more business like, offices, a more open floor plan." Donny glanced over his shoulder, looking right at Leo.

Leo let his brothers words sink in, he began to be more open with their ideas. Both Raphael's and Mikey's were neither bad, but not great either. He hadn't wanted to make a full plan right at the moment, just wanting to know what they were up against and if Donny had found anything useful. Hacking into the systems mainframe to check out security detail and able to download the buildings floor plans were both useful. Yet Cadence had came across the Spirit Hunters all her life. He needed her opinion on what was the best tactic.

"I don't want to make a plan just yet, guys. I want Cadence involved when we do." Leo tore his eyes away from the screen and to his younger brothers. The looks he received reminded him that they all knew Cadence would want to be in the action. She made it plain clear that if they left her, she would never forgive them. Especially if they failed. He looked to his youngest brother, reading his expression clear as daylight before throwing him a shrug. "I need her opinion. We know absolutely nothing on their tactics or their history through her eyes. She knows how they think, we don't. I mean, how the hell do you think she survived all these years? She didn't have us to protect her in the sewers."

Raphael clenched his jaw tight, remembering his second encounter with the Spirit Hunters. "Fool! You will die for protecting her and so will everyone you care for. And you know who will do it if we don't stop her? Cadence, your precious human will succumb to Takaia's power and cast her wrath upon you." Raphael let those words flow around in his mind before he closed his eyes, tying down the anger. He knew that convoy leader was lying, but he had to hear it from Cadence. To tell him that the Spirit Hunter really was lying. Even though he said he didn't believe that Cadence would turn into a monster, he noticed her temper had shortened and her patience had been running thin. Unless that was just due to the argument the he and Liam had been rousing from each other, he didn't know.

"Hey Raph, you listening?"

Raphael opened his eyes, finding his brothers staring at him before her jerkingly nodded his head. "Yeah I'm listening. You want to talk to Cadence, and you want me to see if Casey and April are interested in joining us." He looked at Leo, keeping his voice even and his eyes narrowed. Watching his older brother nod in approval, he gave his head a single nod. "I'll talk to them, I'm sure they wont have a problem. We need someone on the outside, anyways."

"Remember the last time we had someone on the outside? We get sucked through a transmat and end up in a different galaxy!" Mikey retorted, throwing his hands up in the air. "I think I'd feel better if they were inside with us."

"And have the possibility of them being in harms way?" Donny asked before shaking his head. "I need April here to guide us through the buildings." He added, leaning back into the chair and turning his gaze onto the empty chair by a dark mahogany desk. Cadence's desk.

"And what of Casey? You know he's gonna want part of the action." Raphael crossed his arms over his plastron as he saw the affirmation in Leo's features. "Look, I came across them a few times as you guys should know. They all have a similar fighting style while others are more the street fight. Think of the Purple Dragons before they high profile criminals. Others have a mixed martial art style while some others have a specific fighting style."

"Any ninjas in their ranks?" Mikey inquired, looking down at his feet when he felt Klunk brush up against him. The last time he saw Klunk, the orange cat was curled up next to Cadence and refused to move.

"Not that I could tell." Raphael looked at the cat before looking around the room. Cadence had a habit, like Leo and Master Splinter, to sneak up on them unintentionally; he didn't see her around, so she must've still be sleeping.

They all froze before turning around, watching a black wolf casually trot across the room. They gave each other questioning looks before continuing to watch Cadence make her way towards the kitchen. They all turned when Klunk leapt from Mikey's arms and bounded after the black form. Both Donny's and Mikey's head was tilted in curiosity, Raphael had a questioning scowl along with Leo. Klunk managed to jump onto Cadence's back before she disappeared around a corner.

"Anyways." Mikey drawn out the word longer than it was made for as he looked at his brothers.

"Yeah." Leo nodded before turning around to face his brothers as they did the same. "Good work, Donny, but you know the drill."

"On it." Donny nodded as he turned back to the screen.

Leo looked between Raphael and Mikey and smirked when Mikey faked a yawn.

"Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm off to bed." Mikey bolted before Leo or Raphael could say a word to prevent him from leaving the lab. He glanced over in the direction of the kitchen, but he avoided that direction when he felt Leo's and Raphael's eyes on his shell.

"Sleeping doesn't sound like a bad idea, actually." Leo suppressed a yawn as he spoke the words, earning a chuckle from Raphael. They were all used to staying up extremely late and getting up at the crack of dawn. He looked over at the kitchen before shrugging. "You should get some sleep too, you know."

Raphael shook his head. "I'm not really that tired." He watched Leo stretch before walking off towards his room.

"Alright, well I'll see you guys in the morning." Leo looked over his shoulder at Raphael, seeing his brother's gaze was focused on the kitchen. He held back a smile before wandering off.

Raphael watched Leo leave out of the corner of his eye before returning his focus on the kitchen. Cadence had been in there for awhile, either she was eating or she fell asleep on the floor underneath the table. Both wouldn't surprise him. He glanced over his shoulder at Donny before making his way towards the kitchen. Keeping quiet he peered around the corner and stifled a chuckle. Cadence had fallen asleep underneath the table, a bowl of cat food and cereal next to her. He caught a whiff of coffee and he shook his head. Klunch was curled up in a ball, pushed up against her side, his only blanket being her tail as she was curled around him. "If only I had a camera." He looked away from her and leaned his shell against the wall, staring about the lair. He closed his eyes before opening them again, walking off towards his room.

Donny stared at the screen, his eyes narrowed in focus. His fingers flying across the massive keyboard, watching as documents flew across the screen, the security detail pinpointing out which areas had the most protection throughout the building. He let out a sigh in frustration. The Spirit Hunter International Security firm made the Shredder's protection seem like child's play. Granted, the Foot Ninjas were criminals, a gang. The Spirit Hunters have been doing this just as long as Oroku Saki, or Ch'rell as he was called. Only these were humans with everyday lives, living there lives to 'protecting' humanity from Takaia and the other spirit guardians.

Deep in thought, he didn't take notice of Cadence behind him until she placed a cup of coffee down in front of him. He looked up from his screen, relaxing his heartbeat as he stared up at Cadence. He took notice of her attire, wearing an oversized shirt that came down to mid thigh, seeing the white bandages wrapped around her right one. She was smiling and he only shook his head. "You're just as bad as Leo."

"You looked like you didn't want to be disturbed." Cadence straightened up, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked up from Donny to stare at the screen, her eyes narrowed as her brain began focusing on the task he was working on.

Donny gave her a thankful smile as he picked up the cup of coffee. As he took a sip, his grin grew. Cream and sugar. Lots of sugar. She knows me too well. He thought as he put the cup down and turned his chair to look at Cadence. "So what can I do for you?"

"Well I know it'd be too much to ask you to sleep, so I brought you coffee with about ten scoops of sugar." Cadence turned to face Donny, leaning a hip against the oversized desk of a machine. She watched as he rolled his eyes at her.

"So you want me awake, which is a first. Yet I can somewhat deal with it since you're always the one to make sure I go to bed." Donny remembered the first two weeks with her, when they all thought she was just a stray, wounded wolf. She would come here to make sure he would go to bed, even after he had fallen asleep on the keyboard.

Cadence exhaled slowly into a sigh, a slight smile. "I'm still doing it, I just.." She paused, looking around the room before spotting Klunk easily making his way towards her. She kneeled down to pick him up, wincing as she straightened up. She turned her attention back to Donny. "Can you keep a secret, Don?"

Donny arched an eyebrow ridge. "Depends on the secret. If it will cause harm to my family, then no. Otherwise yes." He stated frowning as she nodded and her features turned solemn.

Cadence looked down at Klunk, listening to the low purr as she rubbed his ears and scratched underneath his chin. She mentally shook her head, she would tell him that, but she could tell him another. She looked at Donny. "You know because of your mutated genes, you're able to heal faster than the normal human being." Seeing him nod, she continued. "Well, if you took a blood test from me, you would see nothing wrong. I would have the same human genetics as any other. However.." She paused, using a free hand to pull at the white bandages.

"Shifting into the wolf form helps the healing process, but I've never seen it speed up like that before." Cadence finally tore at the bandage, shreds of it falling to the ground. Where was once a bloody mess of stretched stitches, there was now a clean spot. It was if she had never been shot. She watched as Donny's jaw loosened, dropping it as he leaned forward for further inspection.

"That's incredible." Donny looked up at Cadence's face before brushing a finger over where the bullet wound was at. There was a faint scar, but otherwise it looked like that area had been unscathed. "Maybe it's that training you've been doing." He leaned back into his chair, watching her carefully.

"Spiritual training. I've heard stories that it is possible for the spirit host to be able to merge their spirit with the Guardian's. I've never seen it happen, I've never even heard it happen with Takaia." She saw the worry in Donny's eyes and she gave him a comforting smile. "Don't worry, I'll still be the same. I'll just have the perks of a Guardian, like now, except more.. powerful." Cadence looked back down at Klunk. "I've never heard that it would change a person's personality. After all, my spirit is compatible with Takaia. We're the same."

Donny let her words sink in and he stared at her in amazement. "Is that why?" He trailed off when she looked at him sadly.

"My temper. Yeah." Cadence closed her eyes. "I'm scared, Donny."

...

"Well this is something I thought I'd never see." Raphael crossed his arms over his chest. Donny was late for training, and the genius knew better than to be late. He and his brother had gone searching and they found him and Cadence asleep in the lab, several empty cups were scattered across the floor. He shook his head at the sight, not bothering to hold back the chuckle.

Donny was resting his head on his arms over the board while Cadence was curled up on her chair, one foot hanging off the arm of the chair while her head rested on her arm that was resting on the other arm of her chair. Klunk was in his spot of sleeping curled up against her stomach.

Mikey rubbed the top of his head, watching as Cadence's foot twitched before hearing the faint snore from Donny. He looked at Leo who looked just as surprised as he felt. He felt himself grin as he thought of an idea and it was typical that he watched his two older brother shake their heads as they stepped back. Wanting nothing to do with his idea. He waved a hand at them as he stalked between the two chairs, quietly clearing his throat.

"WAKE UP!" Mikey reached the top of his lungs and he got several reactions. Donny jolting awake, jumping to his feet and with his bo staff in hand, he managed to smack Mikey on the back of his head. Yet what Cadence did made him wish he never startled her.

With swift movement that would put Leo to shame. Cadence wrapped her arms around Klunk, leaping up the in the air, backflipping behind the chair she was sleeping on before slamming the bottom of her foot. The impact sent the chair shooting at Mikey and connecting. She kept herself crouched on the ground, an arm holding Klunk to her, and watched Mikey fall into the moat that surrounded the lab with a big splash. Her glare softened, turning to face the laughter that erupted from the two eldest turtles. She looked back at the moat, standing up and walked over next to Donny to where Mikey had disappeared under the water.

"Nice shot." Donny looked at Cadence before looking down at the water as Mikey surfaced.

"Soccer." Cadence stated simply before looking over at Donny as he sputtered with laughter. She looked down at Mikey, letting go of Klunk before holding at hand out to Mikey. She began wishing she didn't.

Mikey took hold of Cadence's hand and pulled her in with as much force as he could muster, wasn't a lot after getting attacked by a leather chair on wheels. He laughed, however, when Cadence connected with water and began rushing to remove himself from the water. A useless motive when Cadence jumped out of the water, soaking wet and her eyes shooting daggers in his direction. With a weak laugh, he waved at her. "Morning."