Yo everyone. My name's Mona Lisa. I was your average New Yorker until I became a not-so-average mutant salamander. I'll admit, my new body has some perks, but everything comes with a cost. Mine was that a slimy cat by the name of Old Hob tried to recruit me into his little gang. My new friends, the TMNT, kicked his stripey tail into next week, and I hoped that be the last I saw of him.
Boy was I wrong.
…
Night on Mutant Island was always a lively thing. Homeless and Mutants alike gathered around a large campfire, cooking whatever food they managed to get. Today, the Punk Frogs had managed to snag a few fish from the river, the heavenly smell filling the island as they cooked over the open flame.
"Smells terrific, boys." The Professor complimented.
"Thanks Professor." Napoleon Bonafrog said happily.
"The home grown spices will make those fish taste like they came out of a five star restaurant." Dr. Rockwell commented, giving Snakeweed a nod. "Your talents are quite extraordinary."
"Thank you." Snakeweed replied.
As the group continued to chow down, a figure began pulling themselves onto the island. They were dragging themselves through the dirt, and in doing so accidentally triggered a crude alarm system set up around the island. Several cans tied together with string began to clang together, acting as an intruder signal. Hearing this, the mutants quickly sprung up and readied themselves for whatever might be out there.
"One night..." Muckman growled. "Just one night I'd like to get through a meal without SOMETHING throwing a wrench in our plans."
"Until then, here we are." Rockwell replied. "Come on out, whoever you are!"
From the darkness, a figure limped into the light of the campfire, revealing themselves to be none other than Old Hob.
"No need to shout." the cat growled weakly. "I'm half-blind, not half-deaf."
"You!" Snakeweed cried out, shooting out a vine arm and grabbing him. "What are you doing here?"
"As… painful as it is to admit…" Hob replied, groaning as he spoke. "I need help."
His head then flopped backwards as he passed out.
…
Down in the turtles lair, Lisa had come down from the surface for a visit. She was currently seated on Raph's back as he did push-ups, a copy of Modern-Ninja magazine in her hand as she counted for him.
"51… 52… 53..."
"Comfortable up there?" Raph remarked.
"Quite." Lisa replied as Raph continued, even going one handed. "54… 55… move that hand before I cut it off… 57..."
Raph quickly retracted his hand as he continued. Meanwhile, Mikey was watching another episode of Crognard.
"Crognard!" a large gorilla wearing a wizard's robe shouted, pointing at the barbarian. "In the past, you have been an enemy of me, The Great Jojo Ohmo! But now, we must set aside our differences for the greater good!"
"Agreed!" Crognard replied. "Crognard and Jojo Ohmo must beat the evil slug people together! And Crognard knows how!"
Crognard then picked up Jojo Ohmo and held him over head.
"Crognard will use Jojo Ohmo as a weapon!" Crognard declared, charging into battle.
"Hey," Mikey spoke up. "You guys ever notice how the cartoons we watch are kinda just like our missions?"
"Seriously?" Leo asked, looking up from the Space Heroes pinball machine he was playing at. "You're reading way too much into a cartoon show Mikey."
"Yeah, they're just cartoons, Mikey." Donnie declared, looking up from his lab table.
Donnie then turned back to his work, trying to create a much desired retro-mutagen.
"Alright, retro-mutagen test number 97." Donnie announced as he poured in his concaction.
As the liquid poured into the solution, the resulting reaction exploded in Donnie's face, covering him and the lab in a purple foamy substance.
"Test results negative… again." Donnie noted, spitting a bit off his mouth. "Though surprisingly edible."
Just then, an alarm went off on one of his monitors. Donnie wheeled over and saw that Mondo Gecko was attempting to get into the lair with Pigeon Pete.
"Mondo?" Donnie let out. "And Pigeon Pete?"
Donnie then got up and went to the entrance.
"What's up Don?" Leo asked.
"We've got company." Donnie reported, opening the hatch that lead to the lair.
Instantly, Mondo and Pete dropped down, landing in a pile at the base of the hatch. They pulled themselves off of each other, looking around the lair.
"Whoa… nice pad dudes." Mondo complimented.
"I'll say." Pete agreed. "Sweet subway cars, pinball, if you ask me, all it's missing is some bread!"
"We got something better than bread." Mikey told him opening a pizza box. "Pizza crusts bra."
Pete immediately tackled him and went at the crusts.
"Oh where have you been all my life." Pete mused.
"Yeah yeah." Raph dismissed as Lisa got off him and he stood up. "But you guys didn't just come down here for the nickel tour."
"No we did not." Mondo agreed, getting back to business. "You are never gonna believe who washed up on Mutant Island."
"Elvis?" Mikey guessed.
"Old Hob." Mondo replied.
Lisa's eyes went wide as the turtles' collective jaws hit the ground.
"HOB?!" they exclaimed in unison.
"What's that mangy cat doing there?" Donnie asked. "Trying to kidnap the mutants to join his gang again?"
"Not this time." Pete declared, still pecking away at the pizza crusts. "He looked like he'd been hit by a bus. Then backed over and hit a few more times."
"The guy passed out almost immediately." Mondo added. "When he came to, he said he wanted to talk to you guys, and wouldn't say another word until you came."
"Forget it." Raph responded. "We don't owe that fleabag any favors."
"Hey, I'm not crazy about Hob either," Leo interjected. "But something powerful enough to take him out has got to be dangerous."
"You want to help that flea-ridden jerkwad?" Lisa exclaimed. "He kidnapped my mom and threatened to kill her!"
"Hob's a irredeemable jerk to be sure," Leo confirmed. "But what if whatever attacked him comes after us? We just need to know what he knows."
"How do we know this isn't some trick?" Mikey tried. "I mean, the guy's known for having a silver tongue."
"If it is a trick, then we'll let Raph and Lisa have him." Leo declared.
"I can live with that." Raph relented.
"Same." Lisa agreed. "Let's go."
…
Back on Mutant Island, Old Hob was sitting in one of the crude huts constructed on the island, thick vines and roots keeping him immobile. Snakeweed sat guard, staring down the cat who merely stared back.
"This ain't necessary." Hob told him. "I couldn't hurt you if I wanted to."
"Better safe than sorry." Snakeweed snarled.
Hob snorted.
"Talking seems to be easier for you." he remarked. "Congrats on that."
"Don't think I forgotten what you did to me." Snakeweed told him. "I should crush you right now."
"What's stoppin' ya?" Hob growled.
Snakeweed growled in response.
"Because he's better than a parasite like you." Rockwell interjected walking over to him. "The turtles and their salamander friend have just arrived, so you can bring this alley-cat miscreant out to the campfire if you please."
"Ok." Snakeweed replied, picking Hob up and taking him outside.
At the fire, the turtles and Lisa were waiting as Snakeweed dropped Hob onto the ground. Immediately, the roots and vines around him sank into the ground, immobilizing him once again.
"Alright Hob, we're here." Leo spoke. "What's this all about?"
"Not even a hello." Hob remarked. "I'm insulted."
"I wanted to greet you with a sai to your good eye." Raph replied. "Consider yourself lucky."
"Raphael." Hob said, grinning. "Nice to see you again. And Little miss Lisa. How's your mom?"
Leo and Donnie immediately grabbed Lisa before she could charge on the cat.
"Enough!" Rockwell spoke up. "You came here asking for help. Now that it's here, I suggest you not antagonize it."
Hob sighed.
"Fine." he huffed. "My gang and I were attacked… by Don Turtelli and his men."
"Don Turtelli?" Mikey perked up. "Of the fame Turtelli mob? One of the most notorious crime families in the history of New York?"
"One and the same." Hob confirmed.
Everyone just turned to Mikey with confused looks on their faces.
"What?" Mikey replied. "I know stuff."
"Well what does this, Don Turtelli have to do with us?" Donnie asked.
"Well, the word on the street is that Turtelli is fancying himself the new big man of crime now that the old guy, the Shredder, bit the big one." Hob informed. "So now, he's gunning for the one thing that poses a major threat to him."
"And what would that be?" Leo asked.
"Mutants." Hob confirmed. "I heard rumors he got his hands on some kind of 'anti-mutant' weaponry, so I went to look into it."
"And that's how you ended up looking like roadkill off Broadway?" Lisa guessed.
"Pretty much." Hob confirmed. "Most of my boys have gone underground until this problem is dealt with. So I decided to go to the only ones I could think of to take this guy down a peg."
"So you just want us to do your dirty work for you?" Donnie asked.
"Don't you get it?" Hob snapped. "Once these guys take out me and my men, what's to stop them from coming after you four? Or this island, or any of the other mutants living in this city?"
The group all looked at each other in realization, Raph pulling Lisa closer on instinct.
"Alright Hob, we'll work with you." Leo relented. "For now."
"Good." Hob replied. "Luckily, I still have Dogpound and Fishface searching the city for Turtelli's hideout. Once they find him, we'll head out."
"We?" Raph asked. "What makes you think you're coming?"
"I know where to find the two." Hob explained. "Besides, you need every hand you can spare. And that includes me."
Leo sighed in resentment.
"Fine, but no funny business." Leo told him. "Or I won't hold Lisa and Raph back."
"Fair enough." Hob allowed.
…
Meanwhile, in the city, Dogpound and Fishface were hopping from rooftop to rooftop, keeping a stealy eye out for Turtelli's men. The two landed on a rooftop, giving Dogpound a chance to sniff around for any sign of them.
"They're close." he reported, sniffing the air some more. "I can smell their expensive cologne."
"Bout time." Fishface remarked. "I was starting to wonder how long that scum could stay hidden."
"That bastard took out half my puppies." Dogpound snarled, his claws popping as he flexed them. "When I get my paws on him-"
"Heel, boy." Old Hob's voice told him.
The two mutants turned to see Hob walking towards him with the turtles and Lisa right behind him.
"You'll get your chance." Hob promised.
"What are they doing here?" Fishface asked.
"For your information, your boss asked for our help." Raph threw back.
"And we're only here because once Turtelli finishes with you deadbeats, they'll come after us innocent mutants." Lisa tacked on. "So don't think for a second this changes anything."
"The thought never entered my mind." Dogpound replied.
"Now that we've got the pleasantries out of the way," Hob interjected. "Any luck finding the mutant-killing slimeballs?"
"We got his scent." Dogpound told him. "He's close by."
"Good." Hob snarled. "Let's move."
With that, the group started moving out, with Dogpound's nose leading the way.
…
Meanwhile, at Gustou's Italiano restaurant, a middle aged man in a pinstripe business suit, hat, with a thin, well-waxed mustache, sat at one of the tables in the back. He was facing the door, a napkin tucked into the front of his shirt as he calmly and neatly ate a plate of spaghetti set out in front of him. While he ate, a pair of his men stood before him, giving them their report.
"I assume that the new equipment is working." the man guessed.
"Quite so, Mr. Don Turtelli, sir." one of the men told him. "Managed to take out a good half dozen of those puppies, as well as the one-eyed cat himself."
"Nice work." Turtelli complimented. "Once the rest of those freaks are out of the way, this city will be ripe for the taking."
"Then you'll finally be the top dog once again, Boss."
"Oh yeah." Turtelli agreed. "The Turtelli's ruled this town long before those ninja freaks and aliens came around, and I aim to get back what's mine."
"Good luck with that, Turtelli!"
The three men then turned to see the front door of the restaurant kicked in, allowing the turtles, Lisa, Hob and his goons into the building. Turtelli raised an eyebrow in surprise but remained mostly unphased.
"Well, seems there are still a few freaks I haven't accounted for." he remarked.
"We're a lot harder to get rid of than you think!" Donnie countered.
"We'll see about that." Turtelli remarked. "Boys, show them what you got."
Turtelli's henchmen then took out their guns and started shooting at the group, causing them to scatter. Dogpoung used his fist to shield himself from the shots as he ran up and smacked the goons aside.
Donnie danced around the bullets until he got close enough to knock the gun out of his hands with staff and strike him in the face.
Leo ran along the ground before leaping towards a wall and bouncing off it. As he leapt down, he drew a sword and sliced a gun in half. The good tried to hit him with what was left of it, but Leo easily blocked it before kicking him in the chest.
As Fishface kicked one henchman aside, Raph landed behind him and threw his sai at two goons' guns, causing them to backfire and knock them down.
"Had enough?" Hob asked as he used his claws to slice at an oncoming goon.
"Not yet." Turtelli replied.
Two more men pulled out two futuristic looking pistols. They shot at the group, Leo immediately blocking the bullets with his Katana. However, the second they hit hit blade, they exploded, covering the entrance in a red mist. The mist started spreading throughout the restaurant, causing all mutants present to start breathing heavily.
"What the..." Lisa wheezed. "I feel like… puke..."
Raph looked towards Lisa, but his vision was starting to get cloudy.
"I… I can't see…" Raph let out.
"The mist..." Donnie choked. "It's some sort of… nerve agent..."
"Specifically designed to attack mutant DNA." Turtelli confirmed. "But completely harmless to humans. Pretty impressive, isn't it?"
Hob struggled forward, using the collar of his coat to cover his nose and mouth. Donnie crawled over to Turtelli and tried grabbing his coat, Turtelli just smacked him with his cane, knocking him back.
"Looks like you mutants aren't as hard to get rid of as you say." Turtelli remarked.
"Guys…" Leo choked. "We need… to get out of here…"
Slowly, Mikey pulled out a smoke bomb and dropped it on the floor. The second the gas filled the room, the mutants disappeared.
"They're getting away!" one of the goons let out.
"Let them go." Turtelli told him. "They don't have anywhere left in this city to hide. Come on, let's get to the warehouse and check on the next batch of goods."
…
A few rooftops away, the group reconvined with Leo carrying Raph over his shoulder and Dogpound carrying Hob.
"Raphael!" Lisa cried out, looking at the red-banded turtle with worry in her eyes.
Raph shook his head in pain before wiping his eyes, trying to regain his sight.
"Raphael, are you okay?" she questioned, taking his hand. "Please, say something."
Finally, Raph's vision returned, allowing him to see Lisa standing in front of him.
"What'd you have in mind?" Raph asked.
"So am I to assume your sight has returned?" Hob asked, getting to his feet.
"Yeah I can see." Raph confirmed, turning to him. "Although looking at you, I'm already kinda missing the whole blind thing."
"Ok, Turtelli has go some serious firepower on us." Leo declared. "We were completely unprepared for what he's packing."
"If we're going to stop Turtelli, we're gonna need to cut off his weapon supply at its source." Donnie deduced.
"They have to be making that nerve agent somewhere." Leo mused, rubbing his chin. "If we can find out where, we can blow the place."
"Except we have no idea where it is." Mikey voiced.
"Au contraire, Michelangelo." Donnie protested, holding up his shell cell. "I was able to slip a turtle tracker on Turtelli during our little confrontation."
"That's a nice way of putting it." Fishface commented.
"Where do you even keep those things, Don?" Raph questioned.
"A turtle has his ways." Donnie replied.
"You done yapping yet?" Dogpound snapped. "We've got a mobster to kill."
"Killing was never part of the plan." Leo stepped in.
"You're rolling with the big boys now." Hob remarked.
"You want our help, you roll our way." Leo retorted. "Either that, or find him yourself."
Hob growled in response.
"Fine turtle boy." Hob relented. "We'll play it your way, for now."
"See that you do." Leo told him, getting the final word before they began their journey.
…
Across town at a seemingly abandoned warehouse, several chemists on Turtelli's payroll were working overtime creating more of the nerve gas. As Don Turtelli walked through the building, something small and fast followed him on the ceiling. It was a tiny cockroach with a camera attached to its head.
…
Outside on a nearby rooftop, Donnie was viewing the roaches footage on his shell cell with the others crowding around him.
"You seriously put a camera on a cockroach?" Lisa asked.
"Pretty sweet right?" Donnie replied. "We'll be able to see everything Turtelli's been cooking up."
"And you made your little toy a cockroach because…?" Raph asked.
"Well… it was all I had to work with." Donnie replied.
Mikey chuckled as he leaned in towards Lisa.
"Don't know if you know this, but Raph is deathly afraid of bugs." Mikey told her.
"Hey!" Raph let out. "That was when I was six, ok?! I may hate bugs now, but I ain't afraid of em."
"Then you won't mind the one I just slipped into your shell." Mikey joked, causing Raph to go wide eyed.
"Where?! Where?!" Raph let out as he leapt up and searched for the bug on his person.
Mikey just laughed in response, causing Raph to stop his frantic search and turn towards him, growling in anger.
"Remind me to pumble you later." Raph told him before turning back to Donnie, leaving Mikey with a blank expression on his face.
"I don't… I don't really have to remind him, do I?" He asked Dogpound and Fishface.
The two mutants just rolled their eyes as they huddled around Donnie. Mikey came over as well as on the screen, Turtelli walked over to someone in the shadows.
"I gotta admit pal," Turtelli spoke. "I was skeptical about bringing you on, but your toys are mopping the floor with the freaks in this city. You're alright pal."
"I aim to please," A figure in the shadows replied, before stepping into the light and revealing himself to be Baxter Stockman, now just a head with a robotic eye attached to a cybernetic body. "Provided I get my cut."
"Baxter Stockman?!" The turtles exclaimed.
"That nutcase is still alive?" Raph questioned.
"Man, he's harder to squash than a cockroach." Mikey commented.
"You know roboto there?" Hob questioned.
"A whack job scientist we dealt with a while back." Donnie explained. "Although it looks like he's getting into the business of mutant war profiteering."
"With Baxter Stockman on Turtelli's payroll, there's no telling what they'll cook up next." Leo dreaded.
"And he's got more than enough reason to come after us." Raph added. "He blames us for his current lack of body parts."
"He practically told us that when we last saw him." Mikey concluded. "He was all 'I get you turtles! And your little rat too!'"
Raph just smacked him upside the head before turning to the others.
"So what are we gonna do about it?" He asked.
"I say we blow this whole place sky high." Hob suggested before slashing a nearby antenna and causing it to fall over.
"Heh, you're pretty tough when they can't fight back." Mikey taunted.
Hob just hissed at Mikey stuck his tongue out back at him.
"Blowing the place may be our best bet, but that place is filled with anti-mutant gas." Leo reminded them. "I doubt holding our breath will do much good."
"Especially since not all of us are mutant turtles." Fishface agreed.
Donnie then suddenly snapped his fingers in reply.
"I think I have a solution." Donnie replied.
…
Down in the warehouse, Turtelli and Stockman watched as the latest shipment of anti-mutant gas was properly contained and packaged up.
"Be sure the boys get this latest shipment before those mutants try something funny." Turtelli ordered. "I wanna smoke out their stinkin species by the end of the week."
"Too bad you won't get the chance." Leo's voice called out.
Turtelli, his men, and Stockman all froze up and looked around for the source.
"Release the gas!" Turtelli commanded.
Immediately, several workers turned large metal wheels, releasing the red gas into the air. As the gas filled the room, some of the men could make out shrouded silhouettes of each of the turtles. Suddenly, one of the men was pulled into the smoke, immediately silence before he could react. Another one got some kind of spit shot at his face, making him go limp and fall over. As a third ran over, a chain was wrapped around him before he got pulled into the smoke.
"How are these freaks beating us?!" Turtelli let out. "They should be puking their own blood!"
That's when a long, pink tongue connected with the nape of his neck. He froze up in an instant, falling to the ground in a paralyzed heap. Stockman then looked into the smoke as the turtles, Lisa, and Hob and his cronies came out, each of them brandishing one of the atmosphere converters the turtles had recovered from their space adventures.
"Atmospheric converters." Stockman realized, recognizing the tech. "Very clever."
He then turned to the remaining men.
"Those straws in their mouths!" he explained. "Destroy them and they'll be helpless!"
"Gotta say Stockman," Mikey spoke as he bashed away thugs. "Love the new look. You went from Stock-Bot to Stock-Borg."
"Just Dr. Stockman will do, thank you very much." Stockman insisted.
"Or just annoying." Raph remarked, bashing another oncoming goon. "I think I'll stick with calling you annoying."
"This coming from smart alec ninjas." Fishface taunted, kicking a thug in the face.
"Watch it, sashimi-breath." Raph snapped. "I will skewer you when this is over."
"Heads in the game boys." Hob told them, scratching another henchman. "We got a job to do after all."
"Right," Leo agreed. "Donnie, do your thing."
Donnie nodded as he ran over to the gas. Before he could do anything though, Stockman came up and knocked him aside.
"I'm sorry Donatello, but I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Stockman told him.
Donnie quickly flipped back onto his feet and spun his staff, ready to go.
"It's kinda crazy to think once I admired your work." Donnie admitted.
Donnie then swung his staff at Stockman, who blocked it with his arm. He tried punching the turtle but he quickly ducked under the strike. Donnie then swung his staff up and struck Stockman in the head. As Stockman recovered, he grabbed Donnie by the strap and threw him across the room.
"Donnie!" Raph shouted, gripping his sai and charging at Dr. Stockman
Stockman turned towards Raph as he ran up and stabbed at him, only for the sai to bounce off the metal.
"Huh?" Raph let out.
"You pea-brained fool." Stockman taunted. "Did you really think I'd go through the trouble of designing this cyborg armor, and not reinforce the metal?"
Stockman batted Raph away with just one hand. The red turtle when skidding across the ground, crashing hard into the wall.
"Too bad you didn't install a volume control on that thing." Raph taunted, while groaning.
Leo and Mikey went up against Stockman next, keeping the cyborg busy as Donnie and Raph began coming to. As the purple turtle slowly regained his senses, he looked over at the side of one of the gas containers. His eyes widened as he saw a warning label that depicted a picture of a flame that was x-ed out.
"I've got an idea!" Donnie exclaimed.
He tapped his staff against the ground, activating the electrical relay on the end. Immediately, Stockman began to panic.
"You fool!" he screamed. "What do you think you're doing?! You'll destroy the entire building, and everything in it!"
"I'm counting on it!" Donnie shouted back.
Donnie then threw his staff like a javelin, striking one of the containers.
"Everybody run!" Donnie yelled.
Turtles, mobsters, mutants, and workers alike all bolted for the nearest exit as the staff finally lit the gas on fire. They barely managed to get clear of the building before it exploded with a cacophonous boom. The force of the explosion sent them all flying outward, skidding across the sidewalk and the road. Slowly, the groups started picking themselves up as Turtelli and his men turned towards the mutants.
"You may have won this round freaks, but next time it won't be so easy." Turtelli declared. "Your days are numbered Hob, the next time we meet, I'm going to skin you!"
"Just try you mobster has been!" Hob retorted. "This is the age of mutant kind. When the dust settles, and this war is over, we will be the ones that rule this city!"
"War?" Leo repeated as Turtelli and his men took off. "What are you talking about?"
"You mean you don't know?" Hob questioned. "This city has been wild up ever since Shredder fit the big one. Everyone's vying for top of the food chain. To tell he would have won with that gas at his. Thanks for helping me deal with it."
"So you just used us?" Raph asked, drawing a sai. "Give me one good reason not to skewer you!"
"Because I wasn't lying when I said he would have come after all mutants." Hob reasoned. None of your little friends would have been safe. Not even the ones hiding out on that island. Trust me when I say you want me to win this war and not the other schmucks."
The turtles and Lisa prepared to attack when the sounds of sirens cut them off.
"Guess we'll have to deal with this another time." Hob noted. "Thanks again for the assist."
With that, Hob, Fishface, and Dogpound took off.
"I really. hate. That cat." Lisa grumbled.
"So… what are we gonna do about that war Hob was talking about?" Mikey asked.
"That's something for another day." Raph dismissed. "Let's just go home."
As the turtles started for home, Leo looked back at the destroyed warehouse. He just knew there was a storm coming, and he hoped he and his brothers were ready for it.
…
Back at Hob's warehouse, Hob was pacing back and forth, speaking aloud.
"Men, this is the beginning of the end. The end of humankind reign over mutants. It's time for us to rise up against our human oppressors, and take a right for place as rulers of this great City.
He then turned to two of his latest recruits, none other than Bebop and Rocksteady.
"You to think you've got what it takes to take down the Purple Dragons as well as the Turtelli family?"
"Just tell us where to punch… boss." Rocksteady replied.
