Wow guys! The response to last chapter completely floored me! I am so incredibly grateful for all of you reading this, and especially to those who leave me feedback. It is all of you who make writing so much fun, so THANK YOU! Hope you enjoy…
Viz stood atop the roof of the warehouse, staring out toward the distant city, doing his best to ignore the heated argument taking place behind him. Not an easy task considering Two Toes was all but shouting. The black wolf was furious, the blow he had taken to the side of his head having done nothing to improve his temperament. He was demanding that the wolf pack set out immediately to track down Blade and the escaped prisoner. He was hungry for revenge, his anger blinding him to anything but the need to hunt down the one who had so damaged his pride.
Luckily, Alpha was not so blinded. As angry as the pack leader had been when he learned of Blade's betrayal and the prisoner's escape, his first priority remained the safety of the pack. He would do nothing to jeopardize that. It was an aspect of Alpha that Viz had come to respect. His friend might sometimes allow his emotions to drive his actions, but never when it came to the safety of his men…or, in this case, his pack.
Viz listened as Alpha explained to the irate Two Toes yet again that they would have to wait until the cover of darkness before they began their hunt. Moving around in the daylight was simply too risky. The chances of being seen too high. Two small turtles could manage it much easier than giant wolves. Alpha would not risk bringing unwanted attention to their existence if he could at all avoid it.
It was an answer that Two Toes was having a difficult time accepting. He argued that by the time night fell, the turtle's scents would be much more difficult to find, buried beneath the varied smells of the city. It was a valid argument, but Alpha remained firm, and eventually Two Toes gave in with a harsh curse, muttering in graphic detail exactly what he would do to Blade when he finally caught up to him. A moment later the trap door down into the warehouse slammed shut, signifying the black wolf's retreat below.
Viz let out a soft sigh, making a mental note to keep an eye on Two Toes throughout the day. He wouldn't put it past the hot-blooded wolf to disobey Alpha's orders and try to sneak out to hunt the turtles on his own, despite the risks.
Apparently Alpha shared his concern.
"Keep an eye on him today, won't you," the pack leader muttered as he came to stand next to Viz at the edge of the roof.
"Already planned on it," Viz replied quietly, his gaze never leaving the distant horizon.
Alpha let out a deep sigh, reaching out to grip the edge of the roof in tight fists, his claws digging soft grooves into the rough mortar. "I feared this day would come," he muttered, the frustration in his voice evident. "I never should have trusted that damn turtle. He was never one of us!"
Viz turned his head to regard his friend, noting the harsh lines of anger that drew Alpha's lips up in a slight snarl.
"Perhaps because we never allowed him to become one of us," he replied softly, thinking of Two Toes and Talon's attack on the turtle as well as Alpha's own harsh treatment of the young mutant. He had seen Blade working hard to earn the right to be considered one of the pack, but nothing he had done had ever been enough.
With a harsh snort, Alpha turned to face him. "You defend him still?" he demanded, his eyes flashing with indignation. "After what he did? After he betrayed us!?"
"I do not defend his actions," Viz quickly denied, shaking his head. "But I do think I understand them."
It hadn't taken him long after Alpha had woken him with the news that Blade and the prisoner were gone to piece together what had likely transpired. He had known that Blade had been itching for a chance to speak with the captive turtle, but he had underestimated just how far his young friend would go to accomplish it. After hearing Two Toes' version of the story, Viz was pretty sure he had a fairly good idea what had happened after Blade had snuck from their room. The turtle would have gone to the prisoner to ask his questions, Two Toes would have arrived and assumed the worst, the two would have fought, and after the battle was over, Blade would have assumed that his only option was to run away. Why he had freed the prisoner Viz wasn't entirely sure, but he could guess at those reasons as well.
Even knowing what had likely transpired, the gray wolf couldn't deny that a part of him felt betrayed. Why hadn't Blade come to him and told him what had happened? Had the turtle not trusted him? Or had Blade been so intent on getting his answers that he hadn't spared a second thought for the wolf that had saved him and nursed him back to health?
"I can understand the attachment you feel toward him," Alpha stated, regarding Viz through narrowed eyes. "After all the work you put into saving him… But the truth is, he has aligned himself with the others of his kind now, which makes him an enemy. I trust you understand what that means?"
"I understand," Viz answered softly, returning his gaze to the distant city. He could feel Alpha's eyes resting heavy on him, but he said no more and eventually the pack leader turned away.
"Be ready to lead the search tonight," Alpha stated, his voice taking on the authoritative tone of a leader. "You have the best nose in the pack. Once you locate the turtles, capture them if you can and bring them back here. I still have questions I want answered. If capture is not an option…you know what must be done."
Viz felt his jaw clench, but nodded once to show his understanding. He listened as Alpha turned and headed toward the trap door leading down into the warehouse. Just before he reached it, the tawny wolf paused, turning back to face Viz once more.
"We are at war," Alpha stated softly. "A war for our very survival. You know as well as I do that sometimes in war you have to do things that aren't very…pleasant. I've always counted on you before…can I count on you with this?"
Turning slightly, Viz regarded his friend evenly. "Always," he murmured softly, his voice soft but full of promise.
Alpha gave him a single nod before turning and disappearing back down the trap door.
Turning back to his quiet vigil, Viz raised his snout to the sky, breathing in a deep lung-full of air. There was a hint of moisture to the air, barely perceptible but definitely present. He had sensed it the moment he had reached the roof, though he doubted any of the others had taken notice. His instincts told him there would be a storm later today, and given the current temperature and time of year, it was likely to be a big one. If he was right, strong winds and heavy rains would almost certainly obliterate any scent trail left by the turtles. By the time evening came, tracking them would become all but impossible.
Tonight at least, Blade would be safe.
After that…?
Viz let out a soft sigh. He could only hope that he would never see the young turtle again, because if he did he would have no choice but to carry out Alpha's orders. His loyalty was first and foremost to his pack...it couldn't be any other way.
Feeling heavier than he had in a very long time, Viz turned and left the roof.
Hun was not happy.
In his time leading the Purple Dragons, he'd had his fair share of rival gangs threatening to encroach on his territory. Especially in the beginning, when the Dragons had yet to make a name for themselves. But none of those gangs existed anymore, having been obliterated by Hun and his followers long ago, and no new rivals had dared to step up and issue a challenge in quite some time.
Until now.
Hun watched as a heavy plume of smoke drifted up from the charred remains of the warehouse. Firefighters had been struggling for several hours to contain the blaze, and though no other buildings had been damaged, the warehouse was a complete loss.
Situated deep in Dragon territory, Hun had honestly had his eye on the warehouse for quite some time. The only thing that had stopped him from making a hit on the building long before now was the fairly decent security system the owner had in place. Hun had chosen, for the time being, to bypass it in favor of the easier targets littered throughout his large and lucrative domain.
But now someone else had hit the warehouse, and they hadn't just robbed it, they had obliterated it. When the warehouse guards had been found bound and gagged, the authorities had immediately jumped on the Purple Dragons as the likely perpetrators, something which both irritated and pleased Hun in equal parts. But when a few punk kids had been found and arrested near the scene who had ties to the newly formed Wolf Gang, speculation had run rampant. Now Hun was much more than just irritated…he was furious.
The only thing worse than another gang making a hit on his territory, was another gang making a hit on his territory and receiving credit for it. The news would spread, and other gangs would start to think the Purple Dragons were weak, that they couldn't hold onto their territory. In the weeks ahead there would be other challenges, other infringements. The Dragons would have to remain on high alert. Their borders would need to be constantly guarded, putting a halt to all other gang activities, at least for the time being.
It was bad enough having to deal with those damn turtle freaks always butting their noses into things and ruining his plans, but now this…?
No, Hun was definitely not happy.
Turning away from the flaming ruins before him, he took out his phone and quickly punched in a number. As soon as the line was picked up on the other end he began to bark out orders. "Contact all the others. Let them know we have an emergency meeting tonight at the mill. Five o'clock." He snapped the phone shut without waiting for an answer, striding toward where he had left his car.
For now the Dragons would work on damage control. But soon, very soon, they would take the fight to their enemies. If the Wolf Gang wanted a war, the Dragons would give them a war!
Blade was a coward.
There was no other explanation as to why, with every step he took toward this unknown "home", he found his pulse pounding faster and sweat beading on the back of his neck. A sick twisting sensation had set up residence deep in his gut, and he was pretty sure his hands were shaking. It was a disgusting display of weakness, but try as he might he couldn't seem to control his body's reaction to his rising fear and tension.
Mikey walked along beside him, and if he was aware of Blade's state of near panic, he didn't say anything. At first the orange turtle had barraged him with questions, but after receiving only grunts and short, one-word answers from Blade, he had finally taken the hint and fallen silent.
It wasn't that Blade was trying to be rude, he simply had too much on his mind. He was fighting an internal battle between the part of his brain that told him he was doing the right thing and the part that called him fifty kinds of stupid for walking willingly into what could very possibly turn out to be enemy territory.
The truth was, he didn't know anything about these other turtles. Mikey claimed they were brothers and that they never would have purposefully abandoned him, but Blade was having a hard time buying that story. He didn't believe Viz would have lied to him And if the turtles hadn't abandoned him, how had he ended up with the wolf pack? The pieces just didn't seem to fit.
So why was he doing this?
If he was honest with himself, Blade would have to admit that he wanted to believe Mikey. He wanted to believe that he had a family out there that truly cared about him and would welcome him home. He wanted to believe that everything that had happened was just the result of some big misunderstanding. He wanted to believe there was a way to recover his lost memories and regain the life he had lost. Mikey's reaction to him, while at first startling, had filled him with an undeniable warmth and longing. There was something about the orange turtle that made him feel comfortable and at ease with the other despite not really knowing anything about him. He wasn't sure why, but he trusted Mikey.
But what if his emotions were leading him astray? Was it possible that he was allowing his own desires to cloud his judgement? What if he met these other turtles only to learn that they did not welcome him with quite the same enthusiasm as their brother? What if he wasn't welcomed back at all? What if this unknown life he was walking toward ended up being nothing but a disappointment? He had betrayed the wolf pack and given up everything he had for a chance to find out, but now that the time was approaching, he found himself growing more and more tense and uncertain.
He was so caught up in his thoughts that he was taken slightly by surprise when Mikey led them down from the rooftops and to a manhole cover hidden deep in an alley. He supposed he should have expected it considering where Viz had found him, but he couldn't deny that he was a little taken aback with the knowledge that the turtles lived down in the sewers.
Mikey dropped down the hole first, and after a brief hesitation, Blade followed suit.
As soon as they were safely underground it was as though the lock on Mikey's mouth broke open, and the orange turtle once again began to speak. He didn't ask Blade any more questions, but instead began talking about his home and family. The conversation was one sided, with Mikey doing all the talking and Blade merely listening, but Blade didn't mind this in the least. He drank in every word, listening intently as Mikey chattered away, hoping desperately that something the other might say would somehow trigger his memories. No such luck, but the steady dialogue did help distract him from his conflicted thoughts, which was probably the other turtle's intention all along.
They had been walking for quite some time when Mikey suddenly pulled to a stop, cutting off what he was saying in mid-sentence, causing Blade to stumble to a halt right next to him. He turned his head to find Mikey staring at him, his eyes shining softly in the dim light of the tunnel.
"Are you sure you don't remember anything?" Mikey asked suddenly, his blue eyes boring into Blade with an unexpected intensity.
Blade arched an eyebrow at the abrupt change in conversation. "I'm sure," he replied simply. "Why?"
Mikey shrugged, his intense gaze still locked on Blade. "You've taken the last three turns without me directing you at all," he replied softly. "Like you know exactly where we're going."
Startled, Blade considered Mikey's statement. As much as he wanted to get excited about the possibilities it presented, he knew it likely didn't mean as much as the other turtle hoped it did. "My body seems to remember all sorts of things my mind doesn't," he told Mikey evenly. "It doesn't mean anything."
Mikey frowned at that answer, shaking his head. "Of course it means something," he argued. "It means the information is still in there somewhere, you just can't reach it right now."
Blade stared at Mikey, taken slightly aback by the other turtle's easy assessment. Could it really be that simple?
"I guess," he finally stated, his voice uncertain.
Mikey gave him a big grin. "We just need to figure out how to make your neural transmitters connect along the proper symnaptic path to trigger your memorial reflexes."
Blade blinked, staring at the orange turtle in confusion. "What?" he asked dumbly.
Mikey's grin grew even wider, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous light. "I don't know. I was just trying to sound like Donnie," he replied easily. "He's the genius in the family. He's always using big words and complicated phrases that no one understands. There was this one time…" and just like that Mikey launched back into his dialogue, turning to lead the way down the tunnel once more.
Feeling slightly bemused, Blade followed, listing to the other turtle while simultaneously trying to pay more attention to the path in front of him. Mikey was right, his body seemed to automatically know which way to take through the labyrinth of tunnels and passageways without being directed. He wasn't sure exactly what that meant, but maybe Mikey was right…maybe the information was all still there, locked away in his mind, waiting for him to find the key. After so long telling himself to just forget his past and move on, the hope in that thought was almost too much.
After a while, the tunnel they were traveling down ended abruptly in a wide shaft dropping down ten feet or so to a second tunnel below. A row of iron rungs bolted to the side of the tunnel provided the way down, and Mikey swung himself onto the top one without hesitation. "We're almost home," he announced, the excitement in his voice unmistakable. "Just down one more level and a few tunnels over. Just wait until the guys see you. They're going to totally flip out!" He flashed Blade a quick grin before beginning to climb down the makeshift ladder.
Blade stared after him, his stomach churning. For the last hour he had managed to forget, or at least ignore, his fear, but now it returned, gnawing away at his insides like a trapped beast. He suddenly wasn't feeling very well, the nausea in his stomach making him feel dangerously close to throwing up. Every muscle in his body was tensed, his skin feeling suddenly too hot and dry. His heart was pounding wildly inside his chest, and he couldn't seem to draw in enough air.
'Panic attack,' his brain supplied distantly. He'd never had one before, or at least, not that he knew of.
It was strange. He had navigated high tech security systems, taken out armed security guards, and faced down a giant, mutated wolf intent on tearing his throat out, all without the gut-wrenching fear that assaulted him now with the simple thought of going down that ladder and facing the unknown. He tried to fight the fear back down, but it was like he was no longer in control of his body and he found himself taking an involuntary step backward.
He couldn't do this. Not here…not now. Everything had happened too fast, and he wasn't prepared. He wasn't ready!
Mikey stepped gingerly from the final rung of the ladder, dropping the last few feet down to the tunnel floor. He winced slightly on landing, his ribs giving a sharp twinge of protest. He ached all over and was pretty sure he looked as bad as he felt, with dried blood caking the side of his head and his arms. He could only imagine what his brothers' reactions would be when he walked into the lair.
Then again, considering who he was bringing home with him, they might not even notice him. Which was just fine by Mikey.
Unable to keep the stupid grin from his face, he craned his neck back to peer up the shaft, expecting to see Leo making his way down the ladder behind him. But the rungs were empty.
"Leo?" Mikey called, his voice echoing eerily up the narrow walls of the shaft. "It's safe to come down now."
There was no answer, and Mikey felt the smile slip from his face. "Leo," he called again, this time louder, peering intently upward and hoping that his brother's face would appear above him any second. But the shaft remained empty, the echoing silence of the sewers seeming to taunt him.
Frowning in concern, Mikey grabbed hold of the lowest rung and began to scurry as quickly as he could back up the ladder. His heart began to pound faster in his chest, and it had nothing to do with the physical effort of climbing. Why wasn't his brother answering him?
His head popped over the edge of the shaft wall, his eyes widening in alarm at what he saw. Or more specifically, what he didn't see.
Leo was gone.
Swearing hard enough to make even Raph blush, he pushed himself up and over the lip of the tunnel, jumping to his feet and scanning his surroundings desperately. There were a couple of branching tunnels not far down the path, and he raced to the nearest one, peering down its dim corridor. There was no sign of his brother.
"Leo!" Mikey screamed, his voice carrying a hint of the panic that was beginning to grip him. How could his brother have just disappeared? Where would Leo have gone? And why?
He cast around desperately, hoping to find a footprint or a scratch on the wall, anything that might indicate which way his brother had gone, but there was nothing. Even with his brains scrambled, Leo was still a ninja, and moving around undetected in the tunnels had been one of the first lessons Sensei had ever taught them.
Continuing to call his brother's name, Mikey surged down the passageway, pausing at each branching tunnel, his eyes frantically searching the dim corridors. With each passing minute and empty tunnel he found himself growing more and more desperate. It seemed impossible that Leo could have vanished so quickly and with absolutely no trace. It was almost as though his brother had never even been there, a thought that left Mikey more than a little breathless with barely suppressed panic.
Pausing at the intersection of four tunnels, he found himself slumping back against the wall, fighting against the weight of despair that threatened to crush him. There were literally thousands of branching tunnels and passageways beneath the city, and he had absolutely no idea which ones he should search. For all he knew, he could be heading in completely the wrong direction. His brother could be miles away by now.
"Leo, please," he whispered into the silence that surrounded him, finding it hard to believe that only minutes ago he had been filled with so much joy and anticipation. How had things gone so wrong so fast? They had been so close to home. Why had Leo run? He had known his brother was nervous, but he honestly hadn't expected Leo to bolt. His brother never ran from anything.
But then again, Leo wasn't really Leo right now.
The distant echo of dripping water echoed around him, mocking him with the futility of his search. A sudden thought struck him, and Mikey straightened in newfound determination. "The guys," he muttered, his voice echoing softly back at him from the tunnel walls. "The guys can help." Three sets of eyes were definitely better than one, and maybe Raph or Donnie could pick up on something Mikey had missed.
He stood for a moment, torn between the desire to go for help and reluctance to give up on his search. Leo could be getting further and further away by the minute, and the thought of losing his brother again was more than terrifying. But the truth was, if Leo decided he didn't want to be found, then Mikey wouldn't find him. No matter how long or hard he searched.
It was a hard truth to accept, and Mikey found himself fighting against the harsh sting of tears. Living without Leo these past six months had been pure agony. Now that he knew his brother was alive there was no way he was going to go back to that. He would find his brother again, no matter how long it took. He made a silent oath to himself that he wouldn't eat, sleep, or rest until Leo was back home where he belonged!
With newfound resolve, he pushed himself away from the wall and quickly ducked down the passageway that would lead toward home. He was almost back to the shaft when a sudden tingling along his spine had him pausing. He slowly turned, his gaze carefully sweeping the length of tunnel he was currently standing in. It was completely empty, but still Mikey couldn't shake the sense that he was no longer alone. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and forcing his mind and thoughts into calmness. It was a pre-battle ninja trick that had taken him many years to master, but right now he knew he needed it to refrain from racing down the tunnels in the same desperate search that had already yielded him nothing.
"Leo," he called, his voice tuned just loud enough to carry down the tunnel. "Are you there?"
Just as before there was no answer.
Swallowing down his disappointment, Mikey turned to resume his journey home, but suddenly paused once more, turning back to face behind him.
"I don't know if you can hear me, Leo," he called, fighting to keep his voice calm and steady past the steady ache that had taken up residence in his chest, "but if you can, I want you to know that it's okay. Everything's going to be okay. I don't know how yet, but I promise you that we will find a way to fix this. We've been through some pretty tough times before, but we've always gotten through it. As a family. We just need you to come home. I need you to come home. I miss my big brother." This last came out barely more than a whisper, and Mikey had to clear his throat of the sudden lump that had formed there.
Memories flooded through his mind…memories of all the times he had needed Leo and his big brother had been there. There were too many to count, and yet Mikey remembered them all. Right now, he needed Leo more than he could ever remember needing him before, but for the first time, his brother was nowhere to be found.
Several long minutes passed before Mikey could no longer bear the silence. Turning dejectedly, he made his way back down the tunnel toward the shaft.
It was time to go home.
Donnie stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, watching as the cold water he had splashed on his face moments earlier dripped down his green skin in tiny rivulets that tumbled from his chin and down into the sink below. He knew he looked a mess, his skin a paler shade of green than usual, the sickly color accented by the heavy bruising under his eyes from yet another sleepless night. Yet despite his obvious physical exhaustion there was a light in the depths of his brown eyes that shone brightly with hope and excitement.
Today he was going to find his brothers. Both his brothers.
The very thought had his stomach twisting in nervous anticipation. The thought of seeing Leo again...not just for a brief moment, but actually talking to him, touching him...sent his heart racing and his breath quickening. The longing that filled him at the thought was almost scary in its intensity. It was no wonder that he hadn't been able to sleep after leaving Raph's room. He was far too wound up, excitement and anticipation flowing through him like a hefty dose of adrenaline, drowning out any hint of lingering doubt and hesitation.
During the past hours he'd had a lot of time to think about things, and though he still couldn't come up with a good explanation as to how his brother was still alive, he was still absolutely convince that it was the truth. He knew Raph thought he was just being delusional, and yet for reasons he couldn't really explain, Donnie had never felt more certain of anything in his entire life. Leo was alive, and Donnie was going to find him and bring him home.
But first, they needed to rescue Mikey.
His reflection frowned at him as worry and concern for his little brother surfaced yet again, putting a slight damper to his excitement over Leo. It was a pattern he had become all too familiar with in the last several hours, his emotions teeter tottering between elation over Leo and worry over Mikey. He could only pray and hope that they would find their little brother quickly, and that he would be unharmed. It was hard to even think about any other alternative. He knew one thing, though—those who had taken his brother would come to regret it.
With a small shake of his head, Donnie turned and exited the bathroom, flipping the light off behind him. The smell of coffee hit him as soon as he stepped into the hall, bringing forth of moan of longing he had no control over. Ignoring the stairs, he leapt agilely over the banister at the end of the hall, landing lightly on his feet in the open room below.
He glanced over toward the kitchen, unsurprised to find Raph slumped wearily in his usual chair, a mug of coffee cradled in one hand.
Making a beeline for the half-empty pot, Donnie spared a quick glance toward his brother, noting that Raph looked just as exhausted and worn as he did. The scrapes and bruises were still there on display for all to see, but it was the defeated droop of his brother's shoulders that concerned Donnie the most.
Pouring himself a cup of steaming black ambrosia and taking it with him to the table, Donnie slumped down in the chair opposite Raph, regarding his brother worriedly over the rim of his cup.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
Raph replied with a grunt and a half shrug, not bothering to look up from his own cup.
Donnie let out a soft sigh, saddened that Raph couldn't share in the hope and excitement that bolstered him through his own fear and exhaustion. At the same time, he fully understood his brother's reluctance to believe. It wasn't that Raph didn't want to believe, more that he was afraid to believe. Raphael had always had a hard time processing his emotions, and something this big?—It had the potential of destroying his brother in ways Donnie didn't even want to think about. For Donnie, it was already too late. Hope had already taken too strong a hold, but at the same time he couldn't blame Raph for trying to protect himself against more pain and disappointment.
Silence descended over the kitchen once more as both brothers turned their full attention to their mugs of coffee. It was strange, sitting at the table without the background noise of whatever show Mikey was currently caught up in echoing in from the living room. The quiet was unnerving, reminding Donnie of those first few really bad months after Leo's absence, when Mikey had spent much of his time hidden away in his room.
He'd never thought he would actually miss the noise, but he did, just as he had back then. The silence was a glaring reminder of Mikey's absence, and only served to heighten his worry. He stared at the clock on the kitchen wall, urging it to go faster. He knew it was foolish to go up top during the day, but that didn't keep a large part of him from wanting to do it anyway. Every minute they sat here doing nothing was akin to pure torture.
"Is Master Splinter still sleeping?" he finally asked, more to break the heavy silence than anything else.
Raph glanced up at him, giving his head a single nod. "Yeah. He looked pretty rough last night."
Donnie sighed, turning the warm mug around in his hand and staring down into the dark liquid swirling within. "I know," he replied softly. "But he'll be better once we get Mikey back." And Leo, he added silently to himself.
Glancing once more up at the clock, Donnie drained his coffee mug and rose, heading back to the coffee pot to drain the last bit of liquid into his cup. "Want me to make more?" he asked, regarding his worn looking brother over his shoulder. Raph certainly looked like he could use three or four more cups.
Raph gave a small shake of his head. "Nah," he muttered, pushing himself to his feet and draining the last of his own cup in a single, large gulp. "I'm heading into the dojo for a bit."
With a regretful sigh, Donnie flipped the coffeemaker off and began walking toward the lab. "Just take it easy," he called out to his brother. "If you rip any of those stitches, April is going to…"
The rest of what he was going to say died in his throat as the door to the lair gave the low, grating rumble that indicated the hidden latch on the other side had been released. Across the room Raph also froze in his trek to the dojo, his eyes flickering quickly to Donnie, the unspoken question evident in his gaze.
Donnie gave his head a small shake, letting his brother know that he was not expecting anyone. He knew it was possible that Casey or April had decided to come down for a visit, but it seemed unlikely. Their human friends almost always called before coming to the lair.
Body tense, Donnie watched as the door slowly slid back, the deep shadows on the other side shifting forward to reveal…
"Mikey!" The word was a twin gasp torn from two throats.
Standing in the doorway, looking bruised and battered and utterly worn, was none other than their lost little brother.
TBC
Don't worry, I am not dragging this out for no reason. There is a plan, and the reunion is coming VERY soon. I just needed to set a few things up, so I hope you will stick with me and bear through to the end.