A/N: Today's chapter, dear Readers, is the last I will be posting myself until I come home at the end of this week. I'm leaving to attend the Montrose Christian Writer's Conference in Montrose, PA. Once again, my friend Danni will be posting chapters in my absence. YAY DANNI! *claps wildly*
I'll have some limited internet access so I'll try to reply to reviews.
I'll be back, hopefully refreshed, renewed, and ready to post the remainder of this fic, on Saturday.
Thanks again to Danni! She not only beta-read this baby, she's posting it as well! WHOOT. :)
I should probably add a warning to this chapter for some described gore. Nothing graphic.
Chapter 34 ~Monster Hunting~
A thick, dark green arm snaked around Karen's waist, stopping her flight mid-stride, and hauling her back into the room.
"Let me go!" she shouted, striking out instinctively.
"Ya can't jus' go runnin' off, Karen," growled Raphael, turning her around bodily and setting her on the floor. She squirmed free, glaring at the red-banded Turtle. He glared defiantly back.
"Raphael's right," said Leonardo. "Karen, wait. We'll get Luke back. He hasn't been missing long. Don't panic."
"Don't panic? Leonardo, that… that thing is out there, and so is Luke. What if he finds it?"
John was heading for the door when Raphael moved to block his exit. "Where da ya t'ink yer goin'?"
"I'm going to find my son," snapped John. "You can't keep us here. Karen's right, we've got to go after him."
"We will, Mr. Vincent," said Leonardo, pleading. "Karen, listen to me. We've dealt with things like this before. We will find Luke. But we've got to plan. We can't just go racing off…"
"Maybe you can't," Karen answered sharply. She whirled, heading for the front door.
"What is going on out here?" Splinter's voice cut through the chaos. He held up a hand, and Karen paused.
"Luke's missing. We think he took Blaze to go and hunt for the monster. I have to go and stop him," she explained, striding forward.
Splinter stepped in front of her so suddenly Karen nearly ran into him.
"Miss Karen-san."
Karen stopped short, staring at the Rat.
Did he just use his "Raphael!" tone on me?
Splinter shook his head. "Wait. We must form a plan. We will all look for Luke-kun. He can not have gone far."
"Master, we think the monster might be what attacked you in the cave," said Leonardo quickly. "Karen and Mr. Vincent think Luke might've gone there to try to find it."
Splinter looked at Karen. For an instant she saw a flicker of fear in his onyx eyes, but then it was gone, replaced by a firm determination.
"Leonardo, Raphael, you know where this cave is?"
"Yes, Sensei," answered Leo.
"Then you must lead us there."
"Raph and I will go."
"We will all go, my son. This creature may prove dangerous."
"Hai, Sensei." Leonardo disappeared down the hall to fetch Donatello.
"You're not going without me," said Karen. Splinter looked at her again, and nodded slowly.
"Very well, Miss Karen-san. You and Mr. Vincent may accompany us."
The Rat headed for the door, with Raphael and Michelangelo close behind him. Karen followed, with John close behind her. Leonardo and Donatello caught up as they reached the edge of the field leading to the cave.
"It would perhaps be wise to divide our search and widen our chances," said Splinter, looking at Karen and John. "Is there any place else Luke might've gone?"
Karen shook her head. "Not that I can think of," she said.
"Wait. There's one place." John glanced at Karen. A slight flush crept up his cheeks. "He told me about it. He's got a place he likes to go… in the woods beyond Martha's. It sounds like a sort of cove, a clearing surrounded by heavy brush. He goes there…" he trailed off. "He goes there when he wants to get away from Karen for a little while," he finished with a sigh.
"What? Why?" Karen stared at her ex-husband, stung.
"Karen, you… well sometimes you're… a little overprotective," said John slowly. "Luke's growing up. He'll be eighteen next year. Karen, he's not a kid anymore."
"We don't have time for this," snapped Karen, turning away to hide the tears that filled her eyes. "We've got to find Luke now."
"I'll go to the clearing," said John quietly. "If Luke's not there, I'll meet you all at Martha Willard's, all right?"
"Hai, John Vincent-san," answered Splinter. "Good luck."
Karen strode across the field, heedless of the yellowed frozen grasses that clutched at her jeans and the crunch of ice-crusted patches of snow under her boots.
Luke doesn't want to get away from me. We've always had a good relationship. I've only done what I needed to, to keep him safe… She punctuated the thoughts by crunching a little more firmly through the snow than absolutely necessary.
What if you lose him? Her own words to Splinter echoed in her mind, and his reply. Death comes to us all, Miss Karen-san…
Not to Luke, she thought. Not now, when he's come so far, overcome so much. Not today.
She picked up her stride, barely noticing the green figures who flanked her either side. They found the small path, and Raphael jogged on ahead, closely followed by Leonardo. Splinter stayed back a bit, closer to Karen.
She looked around. "Where are Mike and Don?"
"They have gone with Mr. Vincent-san," answered Splinter quietly.
I would've noticed that if I hadn't stormed off, thought Karen, shame bringing heat to her cheeks.
"Do not worry, Karen," said Splinter quietly. "My sons will see to it that Mr. Vincent-san is safe."
Karen nodded, trying to hide the emotions wrestling for supremacy in her heart.
"Let's go."
They made their way more cautiously forward. Raphael and Leonardo had both drawn their weapons. As they approached the cave the Turtle brothers made no sound.
"We'll go in first, Sensei," whispered Leonardo over his shoulder.
Splinter nodded. "Be careful, my sons. The smell of blood is heavy on the air. The creature may be wounded." He was staring at the cave opening as if it were an enemy.
Karen tensed at the mention of blood. Not Luke's. Luke is fine… he's not in there…
"Splinter, look at this." Karen pointed. Near the cave entrance, stuck on a twig, a small yellowish tuft of fur moved in the breeze. Splinter reached out cautiously and plucked the fur free of the bark, rubbing it between his fingers.
"There is blood as well." He pointed. Karen spotted the brownish-red blotches splashed on the tree and shivered.
Movement from the cave had them both whirling. Raphael emerged first. His face was an oddly grayish shade. Leonardo followed close behind his brother. He approached his father, stiff with tension, and gave him a short bow.
"It seems the creature that attacked you was a cougar after all, Sensei," said Leo quietly.
Raphael nodded. "It won't be attackin' nobody else," he said.
Karen was surprised to hear the gruff teenager's voice come out so shaken.
"My sons, what has happened?" Splinter reached out one hand to each of them, as if he would draw them close.
"The cat is dead, Master," answered Leonardo, in that same stiff tone. His dark eyes met Karen's briefly and she saw the depth of his distress, though he was doing his best to hide it. "It… it has been… attacked."
"Wait, something attacked and killed… a cougar?" Karen stared.
"Well, it's a big yellow cat with its brains bashed in," answered Raphael, a little of his usual bravado creeping back. "Looks like it was just smashed against da wall."
"Oh…" Karen fell back a step, feeling sick to her stomach and suddenly weak. "Oh dear God…"
"We must find the others," said Splinter firmly. "Miss Karen-san, as I recall, Mrs. Willard-san's house is nearby. We are to meet your husband there, are we not?"
"Yes. Yes, Splinter, it's this way. Let's go."
Having a purpose helped Karen collect her thoughts. She moved through the brush, a bit more cautious but quickly. Knowing there was something lurking amongst the trees that could kill a cougar had her jumping at the slightest forest sound. The atmosphere of twilight settling, darkening the trees and making ominous shadows didn't help her nerves.
The trip to Martha's seemed to take far longer than usual. Karen looked around often to assure herself the Turtles and Splinter were safely nearby, and hadn't been snatched up by some phantasm. The yard was empty as they approached, and the house seemed quiet. No lights were on. The last of the late evening sun glinted off the windows, giving the house a lonely, haunted look.
"Martha's not out of the hospital yet," said Karen softly. "No one's here."
"John Vincent-san and my sons should be here by now," said Splinter, agitated. He looked around, sniffing the air. "We will go," he decided. "And look for them."
The little group moved cautiously across the yard, heading for the woods on the other side. Suddenly Splinter stopped, his ears swiveling. Karen strained to listen, knowing that the Rat's hearing was probably far keener than her own.
Splinter took off at a dead run, disappearing through the trees, with Leonardo and Raphael hot on his heels. Karen did her best to keep up, but they were soon lost to her in the evening's weak light. She didn't need to see the Turtles and their master, though. She could hear the shouts and crashing sounds that prompted Splinter's action not far ahead.
Running for all she was worth, Karen zeroed in on the sounds until she broke through the thick brush and stumbled into a clearing. A scream tore from her throat as she took in the scene. A hulking black shadow circled on the far side of the clearing. In the dim light she could see three stocky figures circling the creature. A smaller form darted forward, striking the creature and causing it to let out a coughing roar. It swung a huge limb, but the Rat had already darted back, well out of range.
Two of the stockier figures launched forward, and Karen saw the glint of sai and katana. The creature struck out again, knocking them back as if they weighed nothing. There was an almighty crash, and a cry. Moving cautiously, she slipped back into the trees and ran, stumbling, searching blindly.
"Luke? John?"
A shadow loomed out of the forest toward her, lurching slightly. "Mom?"
"Oh my God, Luke…" Karen rushed forward, wrapping her son up in a crushing embrace. "Luke, are you all right?"
"I'm fine, Mom." Luke clung to his mother, trembling, for a moment before letting her go. "Really."
"What happened? Oh, Luke, what were you thinking?"
"I… I wanted to help." His voice sounded small. "I thought if I could find the monster… I wasn't gonna fight it, Mom, honest. I'm not stupid. I just wanted to find it, to help them…"
"I understand, Luke. You shouldn't have gone off on your own." A particularly loud crash had Karen cringing. "We can't stay here. It's not safe. Where's your father?"
"He's with Mikey," said Luke. "Come on, Mom."
"All right. Wait, what's wrong with Mike?" Karen let Luke take her hand, dragging her through the trees.
"Nothing."
A few more steps and Karen nearly tripped over a prone form. Michelangelo sat on his knees, hunched over what Karen now realized was John. He was lying on his back, unmoving.
"Michelangelo! What happened?"
"Karen! Thank shell you're here," answered Mike. A hoarse cry rang out from the clearing and another crash. "I've gotta go an' help my bros."
"Wait, what's happened to John?" Karen cried, but the orange-banded Turtle was already gone, disappearing through the trees.