Special Announcement, I just gave out my first 'Loyal reviewer award '
#1 in a one issue Micro Series 'MICHELANGELO' Comic book by Eastman and Laird'. Mailed.
To KellyEliz for sticking with me through the entire year I wrote Ultimate Love story and giving some of the most encouraging and absoutely hysterical reviews. Make sure to drop a congrats to her, and I decided to make it more fun by having an annual Loyal Reviewer award every year or every fic. Which should be pretty awesome with Ultimate family story coming out. Something to get a little excited about and give you all something to look forward to, because even the readers deserve something extra for making me feel pretty awesome with all your boosts, the guessing, the funny stuff, and the sometimes downright amazing reactions.
Tally Ho
(Duty calls)
"Mistress"
There was no reply to the figure standing infront of the window, as the morning sun basked over the city.
The head turned slightly to signal that of listening.
"They remain unsuccessful"
The figures head turned back in understanding.
The figure finally answered, silently.
He was taken back by the sudden disinterest. For the last couple of months they had set back the previous projects and plans for the full on search for the targets. With the main priority set to the side, they hired Hun's branched off group of common street thugs and guns for hire. This matter was supposed to have been taken care of months ago, with two specific sightings of the targets.
"They will be ferreted out in time".
He couldn't help but feel a light chill under his suit. The mask fogged his vision slightly with each breath. "For now , attend to the medical wing"
He looked up with a choked breath. "Y-Yes Mistress"
Medical duty, the one task in the entire organization no one would be paid enough to do . . .The last one to be placed on Medical duty two months ago was thrown out a double plexiglass window.
Changing into scrubs and respirator, he prepared the medication and equipment. Praying the 'patient' would have no energy today. 'Patient', is a loose term for him, 'monster' would be considerably closer.
Those dark eyes looked out over the horizon as she sent another soldier to the medical wing. The last one was sent out on leave for injuries. Silently overlooking the cars and citizens walking about below the building. They would concentrate on the main goal for now . . . 'They'd be blessed with peace for a little while longer'. Huns incompetance has probably given them a sense of security, or they are completely unaware of the danger overlooking their shoulders.
Completely unware.
(Hostile)
His back ached, and his eye was swelling. It was a few hours ago but the swelling hasn't gone down none. He sniffled smelling blood that leaked his nose as it turned dry.
One of them told him he' could take a piss so long as he kept the blindfold on, unsure of any cameras in the room he's kept motionless on the chair.
'Their here'
Someone opened the door, and he'll admit he thought about it. Even with more than one he could at least try, hell he had a wife and kids at home waiting on him. They might've even called in a missing persons report if Hun hadn't caught up already that the cleanup wasn't done last night. Who knows what happened to the other guys and that one little gal workin the cargo trucks. 'knowin these guys, they might be dead'
He heard em' come in, a young female voice say "Mikey" . . .Maybe thats one of their names.
First instinct, put the anaconda away. He didn't count on tripping over the piss bucket, not much you can do when you're working with limited vision, just enough to look down under the threads and see the bucket below you.
She' screamed, he got the shit kicked out of him, everything goes quiet again like nothin' happened. He only managed to get one eye up , enough to see this girl. Long brunette hair, white, big brown eyes, kinda small.
'She has to be one of the two'
The interrogating last night made more sense now. But whoever these guys were, were involved somehow, unsure why, but involved. Maybe the girls' family. Or someone against Hun and the organization. Either way, it looked like his chances of getting out alive went from slim to none.
He pushed foward feeling the ropes pull from the chair. 'havent even had coffee yet'.
(Apologetically)
Kelly couldn't fall back asleep again. He was sitting on the edge of her bed leaned over on his knees, feeling totally guilty. He should've locked the door. Not only did the guy jump her, but now she' couldn't sleep even with himself there, and that usually did the trick. Not that he didn't like that or anything, he totally did, but walking back from the room, she held her arms and was quiet.
Now they were in her subcar room. The first few seconds walking in she turned and stood frozen, he hugged her unsure of what else to do. Feeling her shoulders lean in towards him, he liked that, even if it wasn't for the reasons he wished it could be. 'Dudette was scared outta her shell'. He thought, feeling racked with a wave of guilt.
After awhile she sat up with her knees up like she usually did when he felt like she was hiding from him, or the world. 'Girls' probably still in shock, I know I would be'. He sat on the edge of her bed, unsure of what to say first. 'Sorry?, You okay?, want water?, want a hug?, wanna sleep?'.
The lamp light glowed on her in a kinda amberish warm glow that really brought out her eyes and hair. Even if she was trying to hide under her blanket.
Michelangelo breathed out through his teeth in a half grimace and a lilt of his head to the side. "Are you okay?" He asked even though it felt like a dumb thing to ask after all that, of course she wouldn't just be okay after getting jumped by a half tied up guy who basically jumped her. He glanced down at her eyes that were kinda spaced out, not getting any look backs. Now he was worried. Figures something like taking down a purple dragon wouldn't bother him too much, but seeing Kelly like this made his core shake, shell and all.
"Who was that guy"
He wasn't sure whether to be thrilled she was speaking to him, or just relieved she was speaking at all.
"Ahhhh" He sighed pausing to think of the right words. "Purple Dragon, guy we picked up". He admitted. The slight fear creeping in of what she'd think of him if he told everything. Abductin' a guy for information , even if it was really to protect every dude and dudette involved, it still sounded shady even to him.
"He knows about you, and Brandace, kinda" He added unsure. He might just be making it worse, especially beating the tar out of the guy right in front of her. Totally blurring the line between who was the real bad guy.
Her eyes widened under the covers slightly, this was the first time she looked at him like that, eyes worried, face serious. "Why?". She gave her head a shake, completely blown away by what he was saying.
"You brought him here? To where you live?" Kelly said out loud and even he felt like the way she said it was obvious. Leo didn't wanna take the risk either but they all said they'd blind fold the guy, conk him out, and when the questioning was over with they'd dump him on the surface in the city somewhere . . .
"What if he got out and took us? or hurt you, or brought more back" She started rambling out of worry. He took her hand and lifted it up slightly in reassurance, it made her stop. "I wouldn't ever let him get to you without going through me first, neither would Don, Leo, or even Raph, and I'm sorry babe, I wasn't there and the door should've been locked, I was getting the guy some grub and-" Michelangelo started rambling too. The way he held her hand was like a promise, 'I already let somethin' happen to her'. He felt another rack of guilt shake him.
"I think he saw me" She gave a small sniffle under the blanket, it was getting cold in here.
Michelangelo lowered his head with a shake, if the guy saw her then , that changed everything. 'Dude better not have even dared'
"Why is he here, really here?" She asked, and her eyes pleaded with him so bad he felt his heart drop behind his plastron. 'Dang, those eyes could drop Tony Hawk off a half pipe'.
"Well" He kinda chuckled at first knowing all to well this was 'not' the time to be laughin'. "We wanted to know what they knew about you, and Brandace and if the knew about Beth yet yknow? We got no clue why they want you, but . . .It's . . ." He looked at her, no matter what he wanted to protect her from, he couldn't lie to her. " Tilla the Hun's gettin' paid to track you down and bring you in, they kinda have your description, but no photographs or anything like that". He felt her retract her hand, and eyes watch him while he tried to make the situation not as bad as it seemed when it was totally worse. They knew all this stuff already, but not who Hun was really workin' for.
"oh" she bit her lip quietly.
"So whose paying him? you said . . .someone was paying him?" Kelly looked up afraid of his answer, in every comic book in the world, movie and cartoon there was that fear that even though she wished to be here, in this exact spot every night since she was twelve, these werent just cartoon characters anymore.
"(sigh) . . ."We thought they were wiped out for like ever". He started, feeling the wave of the recent info hit him hard, harder or even just as hard as it would be on her.
"And I wantcha to know that we wont let anything happen , okay? No matter how many of them there are".
Kelly felt her throat tighten . . .'Them'.
He felt like he was just prolonging what he was trying to say, earnest eyes with a 'I promise' serious mikey tone, fun Mikey and comforting Mikey would have to take a backseat for awhile.
"Foot clan?"
He looked up with alarmed eyes at the two words Kelly Elizabeth Smith just whispered to him. Her eyes saddened and even fearfull, taking his silence and half opened mouth expression as a 'Yeah'.
'awe shell'
"We didn't do anything . . .They dont even know me" Kelly looked down and he feared waterworks.
"Were gonna find out babe, I promise" He lowered his head so she'd look at him. She reached up wrapping her arms around his neck, head lowered so he couldn't see. He hugged back closing his eyes, feeling the same things she was, and not likin' it one bit. "No ones gonna hurt you". He pulled her in tighter and she wasn't letting go.
'Leo's gonna be so thrilled'. Michelangelo thought, knowing Leo was totally against the whole 'bringing back the hostage' thing'.
"So he's . . .not gonna get out right?" Kelly asked looking up and breaking the hug slightly.
"Not with the navy knots Donny used" Michelangelo joked. "Just uh, please . . .dont go down that hallway again" He looked at her with those earnest blue eyes. Kelly felt her insides melt, nodding. Mikey took one last look at his knees before getting up. "Dude . . .Its already 7" He shook his head. Kelly pulled her curtains shut. "You mind if I come with? I can't sleep" She admitted. Michelangelo nodded rubbing his eyes with the front end of his palm going over his head. He looked around hoping no one was going to stop him from reaching his room. Shell forbid Splinter would wanna get up for refreshing morning training.
Kelly held her arms watching him take one last glance around before she heard the door close behind her. She crawled into bed softly hearing the t.v turn on and he crawled over her, feeling a security she wished she had hours ago. A movie was playing on VH1 but she didn't pay attention, just felt the cool sheets over her legs and layed down on his arm. 'Wish I could do this like everynight' she thought feeling herself smile a little in his pillows.
She didn't wanna have anymore nightmares, but she wasn't sure she'd be able to spend every night in his room, she'd have to go back to hers sometime. But tonight she wouldn't have to, and with whoever it was in that locked room in the hallway, she didn't want to either. She turned putting her head under his chin, not saying anything. She felt his hand move up and down slightly on her arm kinda like soothing her, and it was working.
"Thanks Mikey".
Michelangelo smirked in response kinda sad like, before feeling something odd to his skin, almost static like against his lower lip and chin area.
He felt it, a small . . .' Did she?'
It was a small one but he totally felt it!
Kelly's eyes closed when he looked again, and for a second he wondered if that actually happened. 'Dude . . .She just Kissed me'. All of a sudden the part of him that was tired, wasn't so tired. 'Holy shell she just kissed me!'.
Eyes wide while hers was heavy asleep already. 'Dude'. No words. He just put his chin back ontop of her forehead lightly like he had it, makin' sure the blanket was on her good enough. He smirked to himself, a little smug ,sure but he was allowed.
(Morning indescretions)
Donatello sipped his coffee, black. His head set on comfortably, ready for a few hours of IT tech support service, right after submitting an employee update report. He had to adjust the fake photo he created with imagery software, which would be his human self if he was genetically modified that way, or at least he'd like to think so. Fake address, using the landline phone as his only contact, and false numbers werent an issue handeling, so long as he kept his paperwork in order and kept his contacts straight.
His dark almond eyes averted down the hallway, silence, since the incident early this morning. Apparently Kelly had thought Michelangelo was in there and went in, and the happy captive during a bodily release had seized the moment to attempt an escape. But if he truly was escaping he'd have taken the blindfold off, which he was instructed to keep on if he wanted to be freed from the chair to do his 'business'.
He could have fallen, or simply wasn't thinking, who knows. Donatello took another sip feeling accustomed to the bitter clean taste it left. The purple dragon was tied to the chair until further notice. Master Splinter either knew what was going on and wasn't interferring or slept in incredibly well this morning. Either way, they only had so much time to decide how to go about this.
The sound of music came from up the stairs, it wasn't something Raph would play this early in the morning. Had to be Bethany or Brandace by logical deduction.
'I stand corrected, both'
He heard sock padded footsteps come down the cement stairway, and light footsteps into the bathroom nearby with the light creak of the door. One of the upstairs doors opened and closed. A long sleeved shirt and boxer shorts Bethany came out of the bathroom, by her expression he guessed she was headed back to bed.
The other set of steps coming down were a little more purpose driven. The music stopped upstairs. Brandace held her hair up with one hand, the other swayed at her side heading towards the bathroom, nodding to Beth as she passed the other sleepy female.
Donatello took off the head set, turning on the t.v set area. The 8 A.M morning news on channel 7.
Bethany gave a small wave to Donatello who gave a quick 'good morning' and a wave of his own. She went to the fridge grabbing a bottle of water, Brandace walked out looking particularly nice, probably had work today.
"Enjoying the world of employment?" Donatello asked cynically with a slight lightness to a 'just got up' conversation starter.
She shrugged with a light smirk passing by trying to fix her hair. Her right hand was going through her hair while the other hesitated before opening the door to the refridgerator. Even though it's been over a couple of months she still didn't like the fact that she was depending on someone else for survival. 'At least until my first paycheck'. With the way things were here, leftover chinese, pizza, and birthday cake from Michelangelo's birthday gigs. This place needed groceries, and bad. You have four male humanoid like turtles, and three females, with a rat. This place might as well start turning into an underground rendition of Full House.
She smirked to herself shutting the door deciding she'd go without this morning, grabbing a glass of water instead.
A loud bang down the hallway past the kitchen towards Master Splinters room sounded. Brandace looked up, Donatello's eyes averted up from the computer screen not moving.
Brandace took another sip of water while Bethany accepted a glass she handed her.
Another sound like a shuffle against the wall down the hallway, it sounded consistant. Brandace eyebrow quirked, and Bethany set the glass down. Donatello noticed on the dark part of the computer screen that reflected.
Brandace looked down the hallway hearing something bang against one of the heavy metal doors, one of the storage rooms? Maybe someone was in there training or working out.
Bethany looked up watching Brandaces hand touch the hallway wall starting to walk towards the noise with a small inquisitiveness.
"Hey" Donatello's arm suddenly reached out infront stopping her, leaning against the wall.
"Hi" Brandace repeated back right eyebrow quirked slightly. He could see her eyes glance down the hall towards Master Splinters room, then at the door to the storage area just 10 feet away.
"I wanted to ask you a few things April's been meaning to have me go over with you, for your school documentation" Donatello asked meaningfully, innocent and nonchalant.
Donatello felt his facade get shaky when another noticeable sound came from behind the door, giving it an audible echo.
"What was that?" Brandace asked eyes glancing past his body frame down the hall.
"Hm?" He looked around confused, before asserting a reassuring expression. "Most likely the air ventilation system, it bangs around and echo's recurringly". He looked around with a nonchalant 'everythings normal' expression. Brandace's eyes looked up at the ceiling then back to the hall again.
"Now about those documents? April's coming to help sort those out later, and from what I hear . . .Kelly and Bethany arent too sure about it" Donatello asked starting to walk with his hand out assuring her to follow. Brandace shrugged not looking back at the hallway. Bethany sat on the couch, knees up with a glass of water and box of orange chicken leftovers, watching the news.
'That was close, too close'. Donatello sat down at his computer work station getting out notepads for information and started asking questions on her previous schooling experiences.
(One sip makes you tall, one bite makes you small)
Bethany heard the same noises from this morning , the ones that Donatello explained were air ventilation ducts banging around with the cooling and heating system. Being in the underground home for longer than a couple of months now . . .She knew what the subway sounded like, she knew by heart the sound of morning training, or the t.v stack area in the living room. The sound of Brandace playing music, and Kelly and Michelangelo battling over Batman Arkham city.
The sounds coming from down the hall . . .werent the sounds she'd come accustomed to. A half an hour ago while she was on the couch Donatello had the t.v turned up. Master Splinter came out and gave them both a good morning.
"Donatello, Where are your brothers?"
Bethany looked up from her mug of hot chocolate while Donatello spoke in whispers, and she saw his eyes avert to her. Obviously something they didn't want her to know or hear. They left towards the hallway where the noises were coming from, to Master Splinters room. Bethany stood up after a couple of minutes, setting the hot chocolate mug down. Glancing behind the couch to the way of that hall.
"Yes"
Bethany's thoughts were interrupted by Donatello walking at a fast pace to Michelangelo's room across the lair. She watched the t.v hearing him knock. "Mikey" Donatello opened the door, before looking back like he hesitated walking in.
"Yeah, yeah" A tired sounding Michelangelo whispered shutting his bedroom door behind him quietly like he was trying not to make a sound. Bethany quirked an eyebrow. Donatello heading upstairs.
"You go wake Raph I'll-"
"No way dude, he threw part of a weight set at me last time" Michelangelo's hand pointed to the upstairs room. Bethany held back a laugh.
"Alright I'll do it" Donatello sighed giving in. Michelangelo did a small bow motion while Donatello rolled his eyes.
Raphael felt the coldness of his pillow and his bed half off it's lower half, but he didn't care. Stretching his hand making a fist before letting it relax. It took awhile to fall asleep, not too long. Just when everything went to black, he heard music. Didn't bother him none, she was pretty good about keepin' it down when he was sleepin'. But Donny . . .Forget about it.
Raphael looked up from under one of his pillows, the red blinkin' showed 9:45 . . .'dammit'. Pounding on his door.
"Raph"
"YEAH" He half shouted throwing his pillow at the door, pullin' the covers over his head.
"Downstairs" Donatello repeated. 'Dammit, did he really need ta rough up the guy right now? couldn't it wait till . . .three?'.
"Yeah Yeah I'm up I'm up" Raphael whispered out loud, sitting up in bed trying to wake himself. Hand on his forehead, putting the mask back on. Didn't know why he even bothered takin' the thing off, no way he was gettin' a good 8 hours without somebody wakin' his ass up.
"Brandace, can you wait another 10 minutes, Mikey or I will take you to work." He heard Donny talk behind the door.
"Sure"
'Too early for this' He wiped his face with his hand standing up and gripping the door handle, he heard music playin'.
He opened the door, hers was open when he walked out into the hallway with a tired swagger, leaning against the wall breathing out through his nostrils like a tired bull.
"Cause you wrote my name across your hand~"
He heard her singin' along with the words to some girl rock song. Bobbin' er' head flipping her hair over and usin' some perfume smellin' spray sprunchin' her hair.
"When I freak you understand, there is not a thing you miss . . .and I could get used to this~"
She flipped her hair up and he got a good whiff of her perfume comin' from her room. She came out just as he was takin' the stairs.
"You look like the undead" Brandace said fixing her shirt, some tight black sweater with a pair of jeans, obviously dressin' for topside. She didn't wear that every saturday around the lair to sit on the couch, and he took a glance of how it suited her.
"Mm" He let her walk down the stairs first moving his hand over the back of his neck. Managing out a small grumble, watching her walk before feeling himself get caught up. 'Damn'
Downstairs at the end of the hall, they were waitin' for him.
"Kelly said he might have seen her" Leonardo spoke lowly.
"God dammit" Raphael leaned his head to the side in a lilt, knowing what that meant for all of them about this guy.
"She wasn't sure, but he didn't attack her, he tripped over her" Michelangelo nodded.
"She told you this?" Donatello asked.
"Yeah" Mikey nodded.
"I catch some z's for a couple of hours and-" Raphael started to go off.
"My sons"
All four brothers went silent. Master Splinter stood from behind his tea table. "It would be wise to continue with our questions rather than continue to only make uncertain guesses". Master Splinter said exactly what they all were thinkin'. Raph looked down the hall, he could hear Bethany' talkin over the t.v's in the other room. He pulled the bar out from infront of the door, Donny unlockin' the padlock.
When they opened the room the lamp was knocked over and the guy was on the floor , the leg of the chair busted under him. He'd probably been tryin' to get up for hours.
Donatello and Mikey walked over and set the guy upright. He didn't say nothin' just kept his head down.
"Why's he bleedin'?" Raphael asked Leo without turnin' his head.
"Mikey thought he tried to attack Kelly" Leonardo whispered back. Raph figured, Mikey may be all smiles but when it came to the family or a friend Mikey would be just as protective as he would, without a second thought.
"Master Splinter wants him unrestrained". Leonardo said pointedly.
"You're kiddin'?" Raph looked at him like his common sense had dropped.
"He is . . .A guest . . .and despite being a low grade purple dragon thug, he'll be treated like one so long as he's here and , willing to help us" Leonardo crossed his arms.
"(Cough) I didn't mean to land on the young lady who came in, I tripped" Greg spoke for the first time in hours.
"She vouched for you" Leonardo answered.
"Did you see her . . .When she came in" He asked quickly. Greg didn't feel any sharp ends or knives being put to his skin this time, the ropes around his wrists went slack with the sound of something cutting them.
"Keep that on" Another voice ordered him, he complied feeling a set of hands push his body down where a chair was set, a new one. He was hesitant to answer this question.
"Did you see her?"
"No I was looking at the ground, I saw a pair of sweatpants and pink end socks". He answered honestly, if his girls were going to grow up without him then he wanted it to be clean that he died an honest man, something Hun could never be.
"We'll take your word for it"
Greg wasn't sure to feel relieved or apprehensive at the sudden peace and lowered hostility. 'Why were they letting their guard down?
"What do you know about the Foot . . .personally" The voice to his right asked.
"A gang oriented from Japan, They run around dressed like something out of a Bruce Lee movie, they were a big thing few years back, backin' the most territory, they werent even interested in racketeering and numbers. They did more cold cut throat jobs under one guy who went down years ago, Thats when Hun got more business and contacts with the big game out of the picture. No threat to us or the purple dragons".
"You make it sound as if your seperate from them"
"In a way, we are . . .The pee wee's, Are under report from a boss . . .who reports under Hun".
"Your a boss"
"One of them".
"How many are there" A different voice asked.
"Currently seven, we recently lost one . . .His name was Jack, died in the hospital from a concussion he never woke up from. He and two others were jumped chasing down the two female targets"
The whole room went silent. Leonardo stared at this man who was surrounded by he and his brothers, no way out.
Brandace laying on the concrete unconscious, Kelly thrown to the side by her hair after one of them let her go.
"Why were you chasing them?" Leonardo said as Raphael stood to the side. The purple dragon barely stuttering . . .
"R-R-Re-Reward . . .Boss wanted em . . .Dont know why . Ah" He dropped his phone because his hands were shaking so bad. Leonardo had his sword to the purple dragons chin keeping him in place. Raphael picked up the phone.
A message with pictures . . ."Hun . . . Has a reward out for those two" Raphael said showing Leo the message.
"20,000 to bring them in unharmed . . ." Donatello read.
"The photos were taken by satellite, not up close, barely an recognition . . .Hun was searching the city for girls with the description not based on the pictures . . ."
"Based on the ones that ended up with a dead Dragon"
Raphael felt his spine prick and hands go cold. Donatello looked up with a stone face. What this man just said . . .Lead back to them, to his family. Leonardo turned walking out of the room and closing the door behind him.
"Starts at the beginning again" Donatello thought to that first night, that storm with the static and the Ion particles from places unknown. A Scared Kelly and Unconscious Brandace, both injured.
"So you're sayin' that Hun decided the two girls that your guys found were the right ones- . . ."
"Because someone came to their rescue, and ended up causing the death of a Boss Dragon" Greg finished calmly.
'We helped spread the fire' Donatello looked to his brothers who had the same meaning in each of their expressions. 'Which means Hun was tipped off . . .'
(Fighting Fire with Kindness)
Leonardo walked out to the living room. Kelly was sitting on the couch holding her arms. Brandace and Bethany looked up, obviously both with serious expressions. Bethany looked up at him with an almost helpless look that made him keep in mind his plan out of all of this.
"You're keeping a Purple Dragon locked away down here and didn't bother to mention it?" Bethany asked shocked, understatement.
Brandace's expression told protectiveness and some slight form of uneasyness. Her eyes werent flashing in anger like they usually did, they were worried.
"Kelly . . .I need a favor". Leonardo leaned down on his haunches infront of the chair she was sitting in, as big as he was compared to her they were eye level.
Despite Bethany's betrayed stare he waited sincerely for Kelly to respond, even after the incident this morning he could tell she was shaken by everything going on.
She was looking at her friends, observing everyones reaction, complete distrust of the situation. He breathed out patiently.
"For what?" She asked slowly looking up at him from under her hair.
"I need you to meet someone . . ."
He could see the hesitation in her eyes. "Will you please come with me?" He asked a little gentler.
"Uh hm . . .Sure" Kelly stood up following behind. "Brandace will you wait in the hallway please" Leonardo was being very cordial on this, instructing Bethany to stay put, which she didn't appreciate but this had to be done. He waited standing in front of Kelly before the door opened and He walked in holding his hand up slightly to signal them to stay.
"You spoke to my sons before, you have daughters?"
Kelly's eyes went wide, Master Splinter was in the room with them.
"Yes"
"Can you imagine the torment they would be going through every day . . .if they were the two being hunted through the city for" Leonardo asked lowering himself to the mans level on his haunches.
"No . . .I can't" Greg admitted.
Leonardo turned his head back to the doorway, Donatello nodded motioning softly with his hand for Kelly to come in.
Michelangelo's eyes halted on Kelly's form walking into the half lit room. She had her lips formed together unsure, arms together. Kelly looked to Mikey, and Leonardo watched while Master Splinter nodded to him.
"Have you seen him before?" Leo asked her in a low whisper. Kelly looked the man over, a tight blindfold made from an ace bandage around his eyes.
Obviously uncomfortable she froze, "N-no I dont think-" She shook her head holding her arms. Eyes wide, and her uneven breathing was evident.
The mans head was upwards slightly, like he could see her through the blindfold. He sat there with his hands in his lap on the floor. She wanted to bolt. Leonardo saw the anxiety raise in her expression, nodding to her as a sign that she could escape. Kelly backed up not turning around bumping into the doorway before walking away as quickly as she could.
Brandace's expression was confused when Kelly took off not looking at her. "Kelly" She whispered but Kelly didn't look back, even when Beth tried to stop her calmly.
"He just wanted to know If I'd seen him before . . ."
"Like if he'd been after one of us before?" Bethany asked wondering why she wasn't asked to go see this guy too. When she walked around by herself that day she ran away from here. It was like she was a magnet attracting the unwanted, and in a city of thousands and more she wondered why there werent more looking for them, with so many odds against them and everything. But one guys' face could be memorable.
"Ya recognize him?" Raphael had his arm in the doorway, both looking at this man while Donatello asked him simple questions to keep attention diverted.
"Not particularly . . .Am I supposed to?" She asked not looking away. This was one of them, the one's making this whole jump to another life so hard. Raphael didn't answer, Brandace turned like she was pissed off, under his arm to get away.
"Why would you bring one here?" She asked turning on her heel with her arm out, completely shocked as to why there was a purple dragon within' ten feet of any of them. Raphael put a hand behind his head with a sigh, and not just from bein' tired, he knew why she was upset and didn't blame her one bit for it.
"Look I get the whole Interrogation thing-" She started.
"I get your pissed off- I'd be ticked too"
"Why arent you" She quipped back. Obviously she'd had enough sleep to have ten verbal battles today, he wiped his face with his hand barely able to manage through one this mornin'.
"Were gettin' answers, they might not be tha' best ones but were gettin' somethin' . . ." He knew it'd take more than pullin' sympathetic eyes to make her forgive the situation, but her expression lookin' down from his said it might be workin' on 'er. It took a few seconds for her to think of what to say and the smell of her perfume wafted to his senses during that time.
"So you think this is going to stop everything, this huge undying search for whatever reason . . .Did he tell you why?"
She had fear in her eyes, fear of what he'd tell her. He wanted to put the fear down not make it worse, but the look in her green eyes and the way she was holdin' her arms like she wanted to go anywhere to hide. Made him feel like he failed.
" I'll take you to work now . . .April said she'll pick you up after and then one of us will come get you tonight on our run".
Raphael half growled in his throat, chalking it up to a fake cough from being interrupted. Brandace looked at him with the expression that told him she'd go the entire day wonderin', the entire day watchin' her back.
"I'll pick ya up later" He said before she turned to follow Donny. Both brothers making eye contact, one not questioning the other. Raphael leaned towards the room again while she gave him one last glance before walkin' away. He huffed inwards feelin' irritated, his eyes opened while he gripped the side of the doorway.
"Is there any way to stop the search . . ."
"If the price tag dissappears than the dragons will no longer consider the hunt worthwhile, Hun will lose interest and go back to dock trades"
Raphael listened to Leo try to reason with the guy. Sure one on one you could change anybody's mind. But a gang like the purple dragons . . .The foot . . .You can't reason with em'.
"Unless the benefactor cancels the employment, I'm afraid no girl in the city and surrounding area is completely safe . . ."
"You said you've known Hun for a long time . . .Why havent you talked him out of it . . .A man with daughters of your own".
'Can't reason with em' Raphael thought again at Leo's attempts to work with the guy.
"Then my daughters will end up fatherless, my wife alone . . .Hun can't be reasoned with, and the last one to try ended up like that young woman in the river"
Mikey suddenly had a worried look on his face, that this whole thing wouldn't be taken care of and he and his bro's would end up in a handicap match against the two top Criminal organizations in New York. Raph sniffled slightly thinkin' about that news report, the girls body just dumped in the river like yesterdays leftovers. The cops shakin' their heads completely unaware of everythin'. Underground was underground and the criminal element of this city wasn't just underworld to the top side cops. But that even bein' in an old subway station home, could get ya caught up in the same bullshit.
"But I know . . .and I understand. Everyone at the head of table knew that this job was risky, but Hun saw numbers and pegged it top priority . . .The income would be wired once we had them safe and unharmed".
"Gee how generous of em'" Raphael snided thinkin' about how they were tryin' to do anythin' but bring Brandace, Kelly or Beth in 'unharmed' and 'in one piece'.
"You have to be them"
Suddenly everyone, including Master Splinters attention was perked.
"Them who . . ." Leonardo asked after a moment of thought.
"Hun would never say, he'd blame it on 'Them' . . .Drug busts, import losses, baby dragon scouts goin' missing or endin' up on the hospital with no memory, or some kinda tall comic book tale straight out of the 80's . . .Has to be you".
Leonardo didn't move but his eyes narrowed. Master Splinters' head lowered before raising to this mans level. Raph gripped the doorway feeling his muscle pulse. Mikey kinda smirked.
"Hun might be thicker than a brick but-" Michelangelo joked looking back at the man on the floor sitting, whispering to Leo.
"He's been onto us all along . . .He knows we didn't die with the Shredder". Leonardo thought looking back, the fire, the fight, the bodies on the ground. He and his brothers barely escaped with their lives that night.
"Damn" Raphael whispered to himself.
(Corporate tongue)
"They were supposed to be here-" Duncan felt his blood pressure levels raise with every second this woman stood infront of him breathing. Her blonde and black hair with the dragon tat on her ankle, and one longer one on her forearm. She looked disheveled, and unnervingly borderline lunatic.
"You can't call Hun". She held her hand up shaky to the phone. Whatever had her startled made him want to call Hun or Al even more.
"Where are the others"
"I think theyre dead . . .We got jumped"
"BY WHO!?" Duncan had to stop himself, 'blood pressure, remember your blood pressure'.
"I dont know the lights went out and the phone cords were cut" She was rasping higher in her voice close to emotional, like she'd witnessed something horrific. "I saw, I dont know what I saw but-"
"Did anyone show up that night, who wasn't on the job order" Duncan was trying to get straight answers out of this girl in hysterics sitting infront of his kitchen table, makeup smeared all over her eyes like some 20 dollar hooker.
He puffed through his ciggarette offering her one. She took it shaking.
"What happened" He was going to attempt to be patient or by god he'd go through two packs today.
"I-I-I was working and loading the trucks with the files from the office and a couple of chairs and supplies and shit . . ."
"Take your time" He insisted not wanting her to leave any slight detail out or to get them before she had a heart attack herself, a young lookin' thing like her shouldn't be smokin and probably could get into any other line of work besides this one.
"I went to walk inside but the door locked . . .I was like 'Why would the door be locked' thinking maybe they were fucking with me, cause they'd been hitting on me all night askin' if they could carry stuff for me and how long I'd been a dragon and shit-" She puffed out again.
Duncan nodded feeling his ciggarette burn without tapping it in the ashtray, little details were starting to piss him off.
"Summarize" He ushered trying to be as 'gentlemanly' as he could.
"Greg"
"What about Greg" Duncan felt his voice pitch seriousness, so serious it startled her.
"After the lights went out Greg was talkin' to . . .you know . . .one of them"
"Them" Duncans eyes widened darkly. "You know, those guys that dress up like somethin' out of assassins creed". She waved her cigarette taking another drag off it.
"Well he talked to Greg in the office and then left, I only saw him through the window though I wasn't spyin' I swear". She put both her hands up sincerely.
'Why would one of them be talkin' to a Dragon Represenative, Hun didn't mention a meet'.
"Then he left like I never saw him y'know! like a ninja or whatever. After that I got locked out of the place, locked clear out! The lights went out and I heard him yell at Reid and Javier but they didn't answer, I heard him scream "Fuckers" like there was more than one".
"What happened to Greg" Duncan asked ready to Call Gregs cell phone as soon as he stood up.
"I heard a whisper . . .While I was up against the door trying to find the lights" She was shaking still taking another inhale of smoke.
"A whisper?" Duncan asked feeling like she was trying to tell him a ghost story or somethin'.
"'Leave H-Her . . .Leave her, Thats what it said" She looked up wiping her makeup from under her eyes, staring at him.
"What did you do" He asked angry.
"I ran to the office and locked the door after a few minutes, I heard some shufflin and noises but . . .I didn't hear anybody. I was too scared to talk". She looke down almost as if she was ashamed before staring off into the distance of his kitchen again. He stood gripping the sink counter.
"I tried to call, the phone line was dead, the lights didn't work, so I ran down the hall to the front, I tripped over Javier and Reid"
"Unconscious or Dead?" He asked. She didn't answer.
"Unconscious OR DEAD!? Did you even stop to check ya dumb-"
"I WAS AFRAID FOR MY LIFE!, THERE WAS BLOOD ON THE WALL, Javier and Reid were layin' on the floor like Yesterdays Newspaper!" She shouted back in his face.
"Fuck" Duncan whipped out his phone to call Hun like he should've done 20 minutes ago instead of listening to this broads ghost story.
"It was like they were ghosts or somethin' . . .All I saw were shadows and even when everythin' went quiet . . Even when everythin' went quiet" She shook her head softly "You didn't know if they had left or if they were waitin".
"How do you know there was more than one" He asked gritting through his teeth and a clenched angry jaw.
"I dont" She shook her head.
With Greg missing, Hun needed to know stat. The cops could bust in on that place at any time with a warrant and if those trucks arent moved, their heads would be on the city's choppin' block.
"-Hun , we have problems-"
(Early doughnut and coffee morning)
"Yeah these trucks are just sittin' here, do we check it out or?"
"Alright, We'll wait"
"What'd he say"
"Gerhard said we can't without a warrant but he's headin' out to wake up a judge as we speak" Two officers sent out to the docks and commercial warehouses. This one had been under surveilance for months and this morning they were asked to patrol the area. They hadn't started in on breakfast five minutes before comin' out and having to call in. Two large trucks with a locked side door and garage doors looked locked too. It looked like a move from the site, an attempt to move evidence away before they could get to inspecting the place.
Officer Trent Yeildly sat in the drivers seat while his partner Dominick Haste waited for that phone call to give them the go ahead to search the place of suspicion.
"What do you think they got going on?" Dominick asked taking his coffee and a large jelly filled.
"Could be anything, could be drugs, could be a prostitution ring, could be new yorks biggest knittin' party , who knows" Trent answered with a mouth half full.
"Meth addicted Prostitutes knitting factory" Dominick pointed out giving himself a laugh. He looked back at Trent who had a serious look on his face.
"What is wrong with you"
"What?"
It wasn't forty five minutes later when a sharp looking two door sports car pulled up and three guys got out while the Driver backed away. Each of them gave the officers a glance but walked towards the building.
"Should we?" Dominick asked him.
"Probably" Trent Yeildly sighed getting out.
"Hey boys, whatcha up to?" Trent shouted while Dominick patted his pocketts to make sure he had his gun, mace and cuffs handy.
"Nothing to see here officers just three citizens off to work".
"You work in this building?" Dominick asked while Trent glanced at the three men. One was standing to talk while the other two headed towards the trucks sitting there.
"Gerhards getting the warrant" Dominick looked at his cell phone, if they could hold these guys here a little longer.
"Now if you'll excuse us officers we have work to do" The gentlemen wearing the black leather jacket turned . . .A purple dragon was on the back wings spread out towards the shoulders.
"This place is off limits" Trent butt in walking up behind the men slowly but so not as to startle anyone or start anything.
"Oh is that so?"
"I'm gonna have to ask you boys to calmly step asside until my captain arrives".
"Well until your captain arrives with a warrant we have a job to do, courtesy of our employer whom you may call to speak with his lawers anytime you please, have a good day officers".
"So whatcha haulin today?" Trent took the card the thug lookin' individual handed to him to contact an employer, giving it to Dominick to pocket for Gerhard.
"Unless you have a warrant for that too that is strictly the business of our employer"
"Hey!" One of the others in the second truck nodded holding up the phone.
"Who should be here to meet with you shortly along with your Captain, Have a good day"
Trent wanted to halt the wagons and have a raid party now, they had to be in a hurry for a reason to get these trucks out of here that fast but . . .Without the paperwork, he hasnt been on the job long enough for the commissioner to save his ass if they screw up.
"Let em' go" Trent backed up heading towards the patrol car with Dominick who stared at the trucks as they backed out making dust on the gravel chalk up into the air. "Dammit" Trent kicked the ground as dirt flew up. Gerhard wasn't gonna be happy, not happy at all.
Captain Gerhard and two other units along with a uniformed search team, entered onto the premises. He breathed in finally able to get Judge Petrovskii to sign the warrant they needed for the last month and a half. Building up a good enough case to him to include a search of vehicles on site, restricted to the parking lot, where the vans were. Looking around he pointed at officers Yeildly and Haste, sent to patrol this morning until he got here.
"We couldn't stop them"
"Excuse me?"
"The two trucks right infront, they left a half an hour ago, said to give you this and a bunch of lawyer threat bullshit". Yeildly handed him a contact card.
"Wheres the trucks?" Lenarrow asked putting her hair up getting ready to search the place with everyone else.
"Gone . . .Dammit!" Gerhard hit the top of Yeildly's patrol car.
"You still got the ones in the parking lot in the back" Dominick added to try to ease the situation.
"Those are the ones that matter the most anyway, Hanna take your team to the parking lot and get the drug dogs in there, the rest of you go in and look around what you can I want everyone EVERYONE wearing Respirators on this, you dont know what you'll be going into" Gerhard put a respirator on for her.
Jack Gerhard looked up with a long breath outward. The sound of another vehicle approaching . . . He turned.
"Please tell me thats the commissioner?" Hanna said out loud.
"Go search the parking lot" Jack ordered her without even looking at her.
"Yes Captain" She turned with her team shouting out instructions for what vehicles 'if any' to search first.
A large black lincoln town car stretch limousine. The driver with a leather jackett and a purple insignia of a dragon on the left shoulder breast pockett, walked around and opened the door. The first two, an asian man and another elder looking gentlemen with a rougher build in glasses carrying a briefcase, both in professional attire. Then a large leg stepped out, in black pants, a matching upper body with the downside of a blonde head with long braided hair going down the back like a rat tail. A large no doubt five X big and tall professional trench coat, to dress the massive mobster. That same sinister eye glare not matched with a blank calm expression, dark eyes and a broad chin. Might as well have been a blonde gorilla in a Sharptere suit straight off lexington. But the smell on him said more than just a New York Business man.
"Good to see you again, Jack" . That voice mocked him, looking down on him from his 5 foot 9 to this mans 6 foot 11, maybe 7.
With others watching Gerhard smiled appropriately "You'll find the paperwork in order for your cronies to go through" He snided towards the lawyers, they took the warrant looking it over one whispering up to Hun who smiled, the bastard.
"You have access to my warehouse and my back parking lot and all the vehicles attached. Mostly to my part time employees who help move furniture.
"Is that the bullshit story your going with these days, that you're using your wearhouse to store furniture and hold city auctions?"
"Here you'll find personal documentation and legal permit for auctioneering at this legally purchased warehouse" The lawyer with the broader appearance held open the suitcase while the Asian lawyer no doubt Japanese, let Jack have a look. Signed by the Maritime commission of legal permit and ownership of this warehouse and it's nearby docks. 'Privately owned'. Jack Gerhard didn't care about the legal paperwork, what he wanted was what evidence was infinitively inside that warehouse or in any of those Vans, something that would nail Hun Severonson to a cell.
"Mr. Severonson has direct business to attend to before lunch this morning, if there is anything you need you will contact us" The japanese lawer who he could tell was japanese now due to the slight accent using his english, handed him a card. "Well be sure to call" Jack looked directly at Hun. The lawyers nodded and gave their goodbyes getting back into the too expensive for a furniture salesman Lincoln town car Limousine.
"You think after taking half a sweep through there we wont find anything?" Jack asked throwing his obvious calm smug at Hun.
"You always were too forward on your thinking, believing you were always one step ahead of everyone else . . . But this is a new game of chess, Jack"
"Admitting anything?" Gerhard glared suddenly the want for the cigar Hun had in his hand ready for a cut and wooden match.
"Always the witty remarks, you should stick to catching window shop perverts and time meter ticket offenders, before you get somebody else hurt". Hun lit up his cigar taking it out and savoring the flavor blowing smoke out his nose like a bull.
"I recall you being the reason five pedestrians wound up in the hospital and three on duty officers were shot and killed two years back, or are you going to blame that on your 'people' too". Jack knew that Hun knew he was refferencing his petty lowtimers, the ones who called themsevles Purple Dragons.
"Always the same with you Gerhard, heh" He blew smoke in Gerhards face.
"The best kinda officer Jack , Is a dead one"
"Is that a threat?" Jack looked up through the haze the cigar made around Huns mammoth structure. The morning sun showing through it.
"Just a civil citizen enjoying his freedom of speech and expression of opinion". Hun climbed inside the lincoln. Jack pocketted his fists which he was only a whiskey shot later owed, to throwing.
"What was that all about?" Hanna asked turning to see him. "Captain?" She looked concerned for him, and suddenly he didn't feel so secure in being called captain at the moment.
"What do you got for me?" He asked her, she had them busting open the doors to the Vans, just a couple of regular cars, one aqua blue ford Taurus, and another chevy impala.
"If we find something, will he be found responsible?"
"No he doesnt own these but he knows who does" Jack hated to admit it and she could tell.
"GOT SOMETHING . . ."
Jack and Hanna Rushed over to one of the black vans.
"Carpenter tools, and under the dash . . .Pantyhose" One of the forensic guys held up with plastic gloves putting in an evidence bag.
(Unmistaken upholdings)
"Here" A voice held out a cup to him, a small tea cup. He could only guess if it was genuine or if it would send him to sleep after ingestion. Greg felt the hotness of it. "Thankyou" He mumbled smelling it. The sweat forming under his brow was soaked through the blindfold. The old mans voice, it had some sort of accent, direct and forthright. Almost like a father figure.
"What are your daughters names?"
"I would preffer to keep them out of my business affairs" He answered taking a sip of what tasted like tea.
"How long do you think it will be before Hun notices your absence" Leonardo asked he and Master Splinter exchanging glances, Greg Hansen was sitting on the floor, keeping the blindfold on as requested.
"He knows " Greg knew, the trucks hadn't been moved or sent out and everyone who was expecting them would have called, checked out the warehouse.
"The warehouse hasn't been fully cleaned out and with the NYPD ready to charge in to search the place, he knows those trucks didn't make their checkpoint".
"What was in them" Leonardo hadn't forgotten but instead put it in the back of his mind. This man was still a criminal against citizen law.
"Warehouse stored imports, furniture, files"
"I'd assume stored imports means guns and-" Donatello started.
"The drugs arent stored there , that would be a level of stupidity a five year old wouldn't even possess. Hun may seem thick but he's quick on his shipments, they dont stay for long, and never in the same place . . .The police are so sure their going to get Hun on Illegal possession and export charges, they'll never collar him".
"The news said there was a bust a couple of months ago" Leonardo asked, knowing that was the one they came across and took care of while they were in the neighborhood.
"It was a last minute shipment and the newbies were incharge of that, stretching their wings to gain ground, He wont make the same mistake twice". Greg wasn't lying, Hun wasn't stupid, he might not be the brightest bulb in the box, but when it came to business and living up to his new code of honor strictly inherited from Saki Enterprises during the years he was a body guard for them, he wasn't without business ethic.
"I have a question for you" Greg asked slowly.
"I've got kids to take care of, what else do you need to know before I can go" Greg asked after a few moments of silence.
He could almost hear them thinking, it was that silent.
"The thing is , we need to know why your benefactor is after these two particular individuals and if any more deaths . . .Like the girl who was found in the river, will continue to occur".
"Huns ordered a complete halt of that, I dont know what your end or interest in it is exactly but (Cough)" He lied, he knew that the girl he had run into and tripped over, had to be one of them. Making the situation all too real for his taste, usually it was just business.
"Too much attention was drawn back to the dragons, he ordered a halt and instead . . .Their bringing in photos to send into the benefactor. We havent heard word back yet of whether this method is working or not- Or if the benefactor wants more damage done . . .I'm not incharge of that".
"So all the Purple dragons invested in this excursion are out scouring the city , taking pictures" Donatello said it out loud to see if it made sense verbally than it did to him personally.
"Dude they should try burger king, they'd get paid better" Michelangelo joked tossing a banana peel away.
"Whoever brings them in gets 25 percent of the profit and a sit down with Hun, for a Peewee baby dragon thats worth more than full time employment" Greg admitted.
"What's the bonus of a 'sit down', just a meeting with their 'upstanding' leader?" Donatello asked quirked.
"It's a chance to become a boss lets just say the paycheck is only half of what they'd recieve as an award". Greg shrugged, he personally didn't partake in every boss vacation to Brazil or Russia to meet with contacts, he liked being close to home and dealing with New York business.
"So a one way ticket to live a gangster paradise" Donatello nodded understanding looking at the ground.
"(Snort) Yeah the American dream" Raphael laughed upwards turning around.
"We dont know about the benefactors reasons, when your given a job you dont ask , just another order to fill"
"Thats a tall order" Donatello stood up.
Michelangelo didnt find it funny, that two of his friends and one of them his best friend and maybe even more had their lives on the line for that stuff.
Raphael let Mikey pass through, obviously this talk wasn't sittin' to well with his usually chill and hang back bro.
Michelangelo looked around, he'd rather do anything than listen to that guy anymore. He's part of the reason that his family, Kelly , Brandace and Beth couldn't go out and hang like normal people. He should be up taking Kelly out to a movie like every other weekend, They should be out doin' fun stuff and here they were hiding because guys like him have their eyes set on green paper with good ole' mr. Benjamin stamped on it, at the expense of innocent people like Kelly who have to hide because of them. But there they were in there givin' the dude tea.
"You okay Mike?"
Raph was leaned against the corner wall while Michelangelo stood there a little frustrated. "Chyea' great" Michelangelo's voice moped and Raph could sense it. Raphael nodded, he understood.
Michelangelo turned with a shrug while Raph watched him go to his room. Michelangelo gripped his fists before gripping the door and stopping short. Kelly was sitting on his bed with the covers and Ted the bear under her arms for something to lean her chin on.
"Hey" She said quietly looking up at him.
"Hey" He said with a half wave scratching the back of his neck. She patted the spot next to her and he gave a soft smile back.
"Did he say . . .Anything?" She asked, and the way she looked at him said it was out of fear too.
"They uh stopped hunting girls . . ." He gave her the good news first. The shock on her face was enough to make him crack a smile of relief himself.
"Really? they stopped?"
"Wellllllll kinda their still lookin' but their takin' photo's of a bunch of dudettes instead and sending em' in" Michelangelo broached on the danger, Kelly's face dropped a little.
"At least , no ones getting hurt anymore" She looked down before looking up at him, those big eyes a little bright. 'She always looked on the bright side'. "I'm sorry dudette". He side hugged her, wanting to feel that same thing last night, that he had her and no one was getting to her, totally safe here with him.
"Why?" She asked, "You dont have to be sorry, it's not your fault". She said looking up but tucking her self under his chin and hugging back by taking ahold of his arm around her. "Sometimes I wonder babe" He laughed off, her expression was confused but she didn't say anything.
"It shouldn't be this way you know!? You should be out hangin' with friends, partyin', going to school, doing all this awesome stuff that you should get to do . . .But they took that from you"
Kelly felt he was a little angry even, in his voice. "I hate school" She laughed a little. "And Brandace, Beth and I hang out here, and I hang out with you . . .I'm okay" She added.
He gave a small smile
"No I'm serious I'm okay, I've got you, food, an Xbox and you let me read youre comic books and stuff when I'm bored, I'm like set" She laughed making him smile bigger.
"I'm happy that you're happy babe but . . .You deserve better"
She heard the pure honesty in his voice, and it made her heart and the inside of her chest feel a tingling sensation, and it was foreign to her and different but it was an awesome kind of different. Feeling the pillows against her side leaning back, while he let her lay on him and watched t.v for awhile. Just a small escape, and it was the best feeling in the world.
(After Effects)
Bethany leaned back, her head against the back of the couch. She'd been doing this the last half an hour. Raphael past her going upstairs, back to sleep probably. Donatello was at his computer station working IT tech calls, but not before setting a folder with papers for her to fill out and sign infront of her on the coffee table. They were papers for A New York Public highschool. When he told her what they were she fixed him and then a folder a look, and it's been there infront of her ever since. She didn't even want to glance through it. All he told her was April picked these up for them, and that he and April would do the rest once they filled out the holes in their past educational background.
She didn't ask what school
She didn't ask what year she'd be placed in
All she could see in her head was a timeline ticking, It was the middle of May and School started in August. An invisible clock was on that folder. There was one for Kelly and Brandace too but Brandace was at her new job working in Aprils friends' Gift shop. Her book 'Through the Looking glass' an Alice and Wonderland addition, sat next to her untouched.
'School . . .Here' She bit her lip as sudden dread came over her. Just the words 'Highschool' gave her flashbacks to days when she sat in the bathroom stall wishing she was anywhere else, days she'd skip class and go to the library instead, begging her mother to homeschool her.
'Thats how Kelly and I became friends so fast . . .She hated school too'
But Kelly had it a little worse than she did, Brandace handled it a little different than she did herself, to the point where visits to the principles office became the norm, she herself wasn't like that.
'Not again' She breathed out blowing her dark bangs out of her face.
Leonardo went to Donatello's work station , she knew he was taking notice of her despairing demeanor, and she didn't care.
They have a purple dragon gangster boss person locked away, and they give her paperwork . . . 'This definitely wasn't on my visit the world of Mutant Turtles bucket list'. But the way that folder stared at her on the table, mocking her just by setting there. It was becoming more real that this was more than just a visit or a possible Coma out of a body experience. This was real, and so was the oncoming dread of a public city highschool.
(City of Lights and dream filled pocketts)
He'd slept all day and it was around 4 when he got his sorry shell up out of bed, sore neck and shoulders from the way he woke up. He didn't bother to shower, getting up and heading to the fridge. 'Damn'. Out of milk , so a bowl of his usual cereal tide over was out.
Raph ignored Mikey's taunts tryin' to look for whatever leftovers from the chinese take out Donny brought home the other day.
"Phewwww, Bro youre not gonna get a second date smellin' like that" Michelangelo waved his hand infront of his face. Raphael lifted the orange juice carton to his mouth to take a few gulps. Glaring down at Michelangelo at the same time who was sitting with one leg up on the other eating with Kelly at the kitchen table, a deck of cards out.
"Mikey!" Kelly laughed putting her hand to her mouth "Thats not nice" She mocked scolding him.
"Better listen t'yer Girlfriend' Mike" Raphael drank the last of it and threw the carton at his brother, aimin' at his head.
"Well I dont think you smell" Kelly looked up while he walked out of the kitchen heading for the door.
"Where are you going?"
Raphael felt a twinge in his forehead when he heard that, he was near about 20 years old and fearless still never freakin' failed to ask where he was going.
"Gonna go find a buildin' t' jump off of . . .wanna join me?" He asked cynically while Leonardo sighed letting it go.
"He's gotta go pick up Braaaaaandaaaace" Mikey smirked holding up a deck of cards not lookin'. Donny looked at him, and Raph shrugged back.
"Ow!" Michelangelo's yelp sounded out from the kitchen.
Raph tossed Donny his bo staff back. "Are you both coming right back or-?" Donny asked looking up takin' a sip of coffe from a mug, catching his bo staff with one hand twirlin' it and puttin' it back down.
"Hmph, Maybe, whats it to you?"
Donatello let it go after Raphael shrugged grabbing a trench coat.
(Dancing with Myself: The Donnas)
She bobbed only putting one earphone in standing up against the brick wall. She felt the cool night air and it made her smirk. People passing by the busy street, the lights of nearby shops still open. But "NYC curios and Gift shop" would close at exactly 8. It was on a busy street, and even though she wasn't from here she knew that ' Grand st. and Broadway' was probably always busy. It was 10 minute walk usually but she still didn't know the area, and walking around with a map all the time would make her feel like an Idiot. Not that she didn't feel like an idiot already, waiting for someone to get her when it was at the most a 15 minute walk to Aprils apartment and shop.
She heard her cell phone ring the only ringtone she had on it "Gorgeous Nightmare by Escape the Fate". She let it play to the first verse before answering.
"Hello" She smirked answering calmly, just waiting in the breeze.
"Hey, I'm around the corner jus' walk to the left till you come around to the furniture place, I'm in the parkin' lot" That familiar male voice and low smooth grumble made her smirk for no reason.
"Okay" She smiled staying on the phone.
"Bob's furniture?" She asked after walking a little furthur. Cars passing by on the street, some people walking. Her boots making destinct low tread steps on the sidewalk.
"Yeah Just walk to tha right around to the parkin lot". He answered, and she could even hear the traffic in the background on the other end. She felt a little internal pick up in her mood hearing it, and knowing he was around the corner waiting for her. Wondering if they were walking or if he brought the Cowabunga Carl Van. She fumbled with her MP3 player a little deciding whether she should shut it off or just walk up with it on, wondering why the hell she was worried about that in the first place or how he would see her. Fixing her hair with one hand pushing it over so it was the way she liked it.
"I see ya" He said before she turned with the phone still up to her ear.
She felt her inside skip a little when she turned around the corner and there was someone sitting on what looked like to her, an old black motorcycle, but that wasn't what made her bite her lower lip before giving a chill smirk walking to the middle of the parking lot, not looking at him until she was right in front. His head hidden in a helmet and the rest except his hands covered in a large dark brown trenchcoat.
He must've seen her smirk because he revved the engine making her look down and laugh a little. 'Like a kid showing off his toys'
"You my Chauffer this evening?" she joked. He revved again scooting up a little where there was a big enough seat for her to get on too.
"You sure?" She asked joking with him. His head nodded over the noise and she could hear a "C'mon" and a figured he was smirking under the helmet where she couldn't see or it was just her imagination. She adjusted her jackett and put a hand on his shoulder and then the other getting on. He waited a couple of seconds until she had a hold of him. Sure he was bigger than her but it was manageable, and internally . . .she felt like that girl she used to be, that feeling she got watching this in a movie and now she got to be in it.
"Ya Hungry?" He shouted over the noise before setting up to go.
"Kinda" She answered before she could think about it, his head turned so he could hear her, she could tell he was looking at her from the inside, making her freeze up internally.
He revved again and she felt the rumble and adjustment of his posture going slow at first, and for a second it felt like the world was watching them, getting to the street which he turned off and then it was like the world was going just as fast as he was. The sun went down not too long ago and it was in that transition of becoming dark but the sky was still lit with the last fade of sun, the clouds overhead making it look a hue of blue.
'Brandace Harvey, if only your sixteen year old self could see your 19 year old self now' She thought smirking a little smugly. They stopped at a red light and it was like no one really looked at him, in a helmet and large trench buttoned up in the front, and a pair of large black slosh boots. Thats all he needed to get past people here. It made her think of those movies she'd seen him in, Raphael the mutant turtle in a giant trench and fedora going to a movie. His hand extended from the handle to the brake to slow down. The rumble of the bike vibrated through her whole body and wondered if that was how it felt for him or if he was so used to it that he didn't notice. They made a turn slowing down at another light.
She didn't know where he was taking them , and didn't care at all, this was nice and didn't care if they had to drive around for an hour or if they stopped somewhere, which they did a few minutes later. Raph pulled off to the side in an empty small parking area next to Hal's Pizza Hut.
"Ya wanna go in and pick up a medium", he pulled a crumpled ten out of his left trench pockett. "Darlin' put that away, Psh A medium dont make me laugh" She shook her head joking. Showing her clutch purse and waving it infront of him. "I got it . . .What do you want on it?" She asked getting off the bike and walking backwards to the front of the resteraunt. Eyebrows up waiting on his answer.
"Whatever, dont matta'" He answered under the helmet with a shrug.
"Okay then" She smiled pointing at him with a lazy finger, walking with a half sway of her hips to the front. She pulled out her debit card she got with the job where her paycheck would be deposited every week.
There was a bustle of people in the place, most of them sitting down at tables or booths on the side. She could see Raph waiting on the bike looking through the windows with the helmet on for her. She pretended she didn't notice, smiling to the guy behind the counter.
"Hi can I get a large Pepperoni, extra cheese please?" She asked politely with her normal tone.
"Sure , can I have your name?"
"Brandace" and she had to spell it out for him.
"Thats a cool name, havent seen that one yet"
"Yeah, My mother thought so too" She chuckled with the guy behind the counter who smiled at her nodding taking her order to the back.
"Any drinks for you today?" He asked again. "Uhhhh . . .yeah two cokes?"
"Pepsi okay?" He asked.
"Dammit" She laughed nodding her head. "Yeah I guess so".
"I know its a crime against humanity, why can't we just have Pepsi and Coke in the same place?" He nodded showing he shared her opinion.
"Right?" She nodded back, handing him her debit card.
"Alright that'll be 18.40".
She looked out the window again and he was still there waiting.
"Boyfriend?" The guy behind the counter whose name tag said 'Justin' asked smirking with wiggled eyebrows looking out the window with her.
"Uhhhh" She put a hand up to the back of her neck "Good- Good friend" She nodded smiling, knowing she was blushing.
"Ah I see" Justin smiled looking down to sign her receipt.
"Here you go, enjoy your pizza" He handed her two bottles of pepsi and a steaming box of freshly made pepperoni and cheese.
"Thanks, have a nice night" She nodded heading out the door, one hand holding the box the other arm holding the drinks.
Raph had his hand on the bars giving her a light sideways glance under the helmet "What was that all about?" He asked with a sarcastic edge.
"Nothin' , nothin' at all" She shook her head smiling. putting the drinks in his trench coat pocketts while he drove the bike with one hand holding the box infront with the other, looking both ways going back down the street.
(Everything You are)
"Alright" He cracked his neck muscles standing up off the bike, his trench following, made him look bigger than he already was. Secretly she kinda liked that. He drove to Aprils apartment knocking on her window and giving a wave letting her know they were there. She thought he was going to have them go through the window but he kept climbing up the stairs holding the pizza box with one hand expertly, like he'd done it a hundred times before.
"Ya comin'?" He asked looking down and pausing. She nodded following up a little slow. When she reached the top of the ladder wrung he had his hand out extended to help her onto the roof safely. She grabbed it hopping over and looking back a little appreciating the height.
"Figured ya didn't wanna go back jus' yet" He said with a small shrug setting the box on the side and opening it.
"Thanks" She looked over at him catching her bottle that he had in his trench pocket the hole time. Helmet off his bandanna mask tails blew out in the wind like they'd been wanting to be free, a little sweat formed above his eyeridge brow.
"Need a hand there sweaty?" She chuckled handing him napkins she'd pocketted from the resteraunt.
"Thanks" He said breathing out and unbuttoning his coat.
"Mhm" She pulled a piece from the pizza box, using her finger to go under the slice and pull the cheese that was stretching as she pulled, he just chuckled at her. The sound of carbonated pop releasing from the bottle and Raphael's low 'dammit' when he pulled the topping off half another slice.
"thanks for coming to get me . . ." She looked at her piece, not looking at him but it felt like he was looking at her.
"Nah" He said like it wasn't a problem.
"It's only a fifteen minute walk to here, I can walk next time"
"Maybe, if things cool down after awhile". He put emphasis on the 'If' emphasizing with his shoulders.
"Can't be babysat forever" She took a sip of her soda, and she watched out of the corner of her eye him take a huge bite throwing his head back slightly to help.
"It aint bein' babysat if were jus' watchin' your back" He said seriously looking at her this time. She looked at him before looking away towards the view, it was like he could see right through her sometimes. It wouldn't be hard, he'd be sitting on the couch watching a movie with everyone and he'd glance at her, and she'd feel like he could see everything she was thinking, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it yet.
"I appreciate it . . .Really" She answered adjusting her sleeves to sprunch her elbows a little.
It was another five minutes, she figured he must've been hungry he was downing his third slice.
"Hungry there big guy?" She asked with a sideways smile.
"Yeah? So?" He shrugged picking up another, almost half the box was gone.
"And you wanted me to get a Medium" She shook her head looking up smugly taking a drink of her soda, turning to see him give her a impending look, eyes narrowed lightly like he had something to say but wouldn't say it. She laughed.
"So . . .Did you, find out anything today?" She asked slowly this time looking at him seriously, he answered back with his own gaze.
"Their gettin' paid ta' find ya, only the Foot knows why, the guy doesnt know anythin much other' than that". He caught her lookin' at him, makin' him look at the slice he was downing.
"Figures"
He heard her laugh, catching him off guard.
"Just when you get rid of them they get brought back, like five times over in the cartoons, that guy just doesnt die" She emphasized the word 'Die'.
He felt his world slow down with the realization of who exactly she meant.
"The shredder?" He asked, she was taken by surprise of the intense stare he was giving her now, not lighthearted at all but . . .Intense like she'd said a taboo.
"Yeah" She nodded unsure of what he was taking out of this.
"Impossible" He shook his head completely serious.
Then all of a sudden it hit her, she'd seen it before in the movies, the comics, the cartoons . . .The shredder would come back, having have impossibly survived an epic battle. But they werent sure how this life had been before they'd came and dropped into their lives out of thin air.
"What happened . . .to him . . .exactly, If I might ask" She asked slowly, her Iowan accent contrasted to his inner brooklyn and clear new york annunciation.
"Fire" He answered back after a few seconds, and his eyes were staring off into the distance like he was playing it infront of them in his head.
"We broke in, to save Master Splinter. They found out where we lived, back in the Den, took him".
Brandace played with her bottle cap twisting and untwisting it, before holding it completely still, along with her breath.
"We broke in, Casey and April even helped out, created a diversion ta distract em'. Casey got him out, while we were on tha roof with him"
Raph could feel her watching him while he told this story, it played in the back of his mind sometimes, with everythin' going on. He wanted to play it over, to make sure that there was no chance in hell he could've survived.
"Leo . . . took a worse beating, we all did. Even Case. Shredder . . ." He looked up unfurling to pull the trench out a little on his shoulder.
"Took all of us to bring him down"
Brandace barely saw it in the light, what he was pulling his trench back for. It was the scar she'd noticed sometimes but this was the first time up close really. When he was carrying her she didn't notice, always too busy looking everywhere else but on him.
"Got me pretty close, If Mikey hadnta stepped in I woulda been a gonner"
He felt her hand reach up to trace the line of it, the four inch scar that went from the lower half of his neck to reach his trap muscle. Her fingers were cool against his skin, and he felt her let go.
"Talk about Cut throat" She said with a light honest remark that he had to admire, for a girl who seemed to know everythin' he was kinda glad she didn't from the way she was watchin' was like she wanted to hear more.
"What happened then" She asked in a half whisper.
"Donny was hurt bad, thought we'd lose him . . .He went after master splinter once he figured out that he was Master Yoshi's pet rat before we turned into 'us'. Shredder took swipes at 'im . . .Missin' left and right. He took out a fuse box, settin' fire to tha place . . ."
Her eyes were on him like she was day dreamin' his worst nightmare, those green eyes firey like around the center, catchin' on the light.
"With all those oil lamps around the place, lit up like a match. Support beams crashed on him".
He could even remember the sound of his metal armor being crushed under them. His foot soldiers long gone, leavin' him to die.
"One landed directly ontop of him, the whole buildin' went down . . ." Raph stared out into the distance with a small shrug attached. Looking out into the dark, the streetlamps glowing, some cars passing by, lit up rooms.
Raphael rotated his shoulders leaned against the wall like she was, lookin' over at her. Her expression made him stand upright, her hand over her mouth like somethin' jus' hit her.
"Hey, You okay?" He asked , eye ridges drawn in concern.
"Yeah . . ." She answered putting her palm back down. He kept starin' for her to talk, he wanted to hear what she had to say.
"Cartoons and t.v have one thing in common . . .consistancy. You know how in the first movie they beat the bad guy and then in the sequal, the bad guy . . . the Bad guy comes back".
"He's dead Brandi, he aint comin' back . . .No way" Raphael growled low.
"I hope your right . . .I really really do" She looked at him earnestly with those same eyes, almost pleadin' for him to tell her again that there was no chance in hell the shredder could've survived.
"Me too kid" He answered back, feeling a false seed of doubt in his psyche, drinking back his soda.
Stay tuned, and if your in the mood to drop a review the mail box is open* Brandacelynn out for the evening, Tally ho ;)