My run had left me hungrier than I'd realized. There weren't too many dinners in the immediate area of our motel that were open at five in the morning, so I considered myself lucky to be eating hot eggs and bacon instead of McDonalds or something similar. Hernandez got biscuits and gravy and seemed just as hungry as me.
"I will respect your privacy," he pointed at me with a fork full of biscuit and spoke through a mouth full. Manners weren't his strong point, "as long as you come back as you left."
"Don't I always?" I smirked taking a bite of toast and grape jelly. He only grunted in reply. "I will be going to see them again at noon." I looked at my Mexican friend over the rim of my coffee cup, waiting for his reaction. He nodded with a sigh.
"Then what am to do while you're making amends?"
"I dunno. Take a cab somewhere," I shrugged finishing off my eggs. Hernandez glared at me.
"You're very funny, Nightwing."
"I think there's a strip club nearby."
He reached over and smacked me upside the head. I laughed as he did. "I should tan your hide, Shadow." He growled something inaudible in Spanish as he violently cut his biscuits up into bite sized pieces. I leaned back into the booth a smile still lingering. A waitress came and refilled our coffee mugs smiling kindly.
"So, what can you tell me about these friends of yours?"
I thoughts for a moment, "They're ninjas?" I smiled slapping a hand over my mouth to contain a laugh at the face he made.
"You are serious?" his voice very monotone.
"Yes, I'm completely serious. One of them is a super genius, one is complete goofball, one's a total hot head, and one is a Fearless Leader." I smiled thinking over each of the brothers.
"They sound like trouble."
"Trust me, I'm more trouble than them." I slurped my coffee and then regretted it because it was still way too hot to drink.
"I don't doubt it. You definitely are trouble," he chuckled. I kicked him underneath the table to which he let out a yelp of pain. I laughed while he grimaced. "You're a pain in my ass, Shadow."
My thumb hovered over Iris's name in my phone. I debated on calling her. Well, actually, it wasn't her number; it called the payphone in the lair, she just usually answered or maybe it was her phone number and she was just lying to me. I frowned at the thought. Sighing I shoved the phone into my pocket angrily.
Bad thing was I wasn't sure where I was going. I didn't want to call the number I had under Iris's name in case it really was the payphone in the lair and Leo answered. I've never called randomly. We always had a set date that I called and she would answer. I've never thought much about it till now.
I continued walking. Enjoying the simple delight of the sun hot on my face. Clouds were gathering in the east, though, so it'd probable rain soon. Thunder rumbled in the distance five minutes later and I was glad I had brought my jacket. I was actually supposed to meet Iris at Gabe's school and I knew it was in this area, but I'd overestimated myself thinking I could remember the address she'd given me. And I was pretty sure now that I didn't have her cell, so a text was useless.
"Damn it," I curse through gritted teeth, knowing full and well I was lost. I tugged the stupid phone out of my pocket and didn't give myself a chance to convince myself otherwise. I hit her name with confidence at first, but as the rings ticked by that confidence crumbled more and more.
"Hello?" came a skeptical voice.
"Mikey?"
"Shadow! Hey, where are you? Iris said you never showed up."
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. "Yeah, I uh forgot the address. I'm pretty sure I've been walking in circles actually. Nice to know you're feeling better." I frowned at the tattoo shop across the street thinking it looked awfully familiar. Mikey chuckled on the other end of the line.
"Oh yeah, takes more than a pipe to damage my head. Anyway, do you know where you are?"
I turned slowly looking for any street signs. "There's no street signs, but I can see a tattoo shop with a Japanese tiger on the banner, annnnd an old woman selling strawberries on the corner. Oh, and an arcade. Looks abandoned."
"Ok, yeah, I know where you are, but you're pretty far from the school," he chuckled while I rolled my eyes. "Iris will be there in a few minutes. Try not to get mugged."
"Ha ha, Mikey, very funny, but this neighborhood doesn't look that sketchy."
He laughed again before hanging up. I walked over to the elderly woman selling plump strawberries. She smiled sweetly as I approached her.
"I'll take two." I handed her a twenty and told her to keep the change.
"Bless your heart," she smiled placing the bill in a safe place. Thunder rumbled closer this time and it was becoming increasingly dark. The old woman frowned at the sky before packing up her produce. A younger man came out and helped her. Iris pulled up just as it started to sprinkle and apologized profusely for assuming I'd skipped out even after I'd assure her it was alright.
"I'm really sorry, Shadow. Things have been really stressful lately with Makenzie and the gang war that's building—"
"Wait, what's wrong with Makenzie?" my throat tightened at the thought of her being sick or something.
"You didn't notice? Well I guess the skirt she was wearing did hide it pretty well," she mused quietly.
"What?" I was growing aggravated.
"Shadow, she's pregnant."
I don't think my eyes have ever been so wide or my jaw so low. "What!?" I screeched unable to believe what I was hearing. "How is that even possible?"
She shrugged with a soft smile on her lips, "Donnie tried to explain it to us, but you know how that can be."
I nodded in understanding. "I guess they're more human than we thought." I watched the rain race down the windows, the wiper blades steadily sweeping back and forth against the pouring rain.
"I guess so, but ever since we found out Mikey has been trying to convince me that we should—try, but I dunno," she shrugged, her cheeks a little pink. I didn't personally mind, but I guess talking about the whole sex thing bothered her. I had many one night stands about three years into my journey to get my mind off Leo. It'd work for a little bit, but I'd always wake up wishing Leo was lying beside me instead of some guy I couldn't remember the name of.
"I wonder what they'll look like." I tried to Imagine what a human/mutant turtle baby.
"Well, we won't have to wait much longer. She about seven and half month, I think." She pulled the car into the abandoned garage. Mikey was waiting for us. He hugged Iris and swung me around much to my disapproval. I glared at him heatedly while he laughed and hid behind Iris who rolled her eyes.
"Hey, can you do the blade thing?" he grinned like a little kid in the candy store. I did as he asked. Sliding the metal bands together and activating the orange blades. At one point I was fond of them, even proud. One last shred of my mother. But what they were doing to me left much to be desired. I deactivated them shoving the memories down with a slow, deep breath. "Can you do something else for me?" it always amazed me how easily Mikey could turn serious.
"I guess."
"Please talk to Leo. He's really starting to get on my nerves."
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