"A minute?!" Spike yelps.

"Disarm it!" April cries. "Do something!"

Irma fiddles with it. "I'm trying, I'm trying!" She traces wires with her finger. "Okay, so not that one…Uh….."

Spike chews on her knuckles and hums nervously.

Irma's eyes flicker to the timer, reading thirty seconds remaining, and heads back to her task, beads of sweat collecting on her forehead. "Uh…" she snips away with the wire cutters. "Huh…Almost got it….."

"Good," Casey says tightly.

April puts her hand over her mouth.

Fifteen seconds.

The canister of gas begins unlocking.

Irma stares at two remaining wires. "Red or green?"

"What?!"

"Just pick one!"

Ten seconds.

Irma leans over and freezes.

"What's wrong?" April shrieks.

"Her brain froze." Spike shakes her. "C'mon, Irma!"

Irma shakes herself.

Five seconds.

Four.

Three.

Two.

Gas begins to leak.

Irma cuts the red wire.

One.

~Danger Deals a Blow~

The tiny amount of gas that escaped hit Irma first.

She falls backward, clutching her knees with wide glassy eyes. "What? Ew! Get away!" She scrambles backward on her behind.

"What in blazes?" Casey leans over. "Irma, it's us! What's up?"

Irma swats at the air and at her arms. "Eek!"

"What's wrong with her?" April asks.

"Do I suddenly look like Sherlock Holmes? How am I supposed to know?" Spike explodes. "Irma!"

Irma puts her hands over her face and squirms. "Bugs! Why did it have to be bugs? I hate them!"

"Bugs?!" April looks around. "Where?"

By this time, the gas has circulated to Casey. He freezes and stares at the ground in horror before leaping to his feet. "Get 'em off!"

"What in the name of all good things is going on here?" Spike demands of the hysterical Casey. "Get what off?"

"Can't you see 'em? Rats! Everywhere! Little disease spreaders!"

Spike and April look at each other.

"They've gone stark raving mad," Spike says.

"That gas! I think it's making them hallucinate…" April coughs and blinks. She points at Spike. "You!"

"Me?"

"You! You monster! You…you murderer!"

Spike takes a step back. "Did you get a whiff of that stuff?"

April lunges for her. Spike steps out of the way. "April!"

April spins around with hatred and fear in her eyes. "You killed my father!"

"I did not," Spike protests. She backs towards the bomb. "I…." She frowns and her nose twitches. She coughs. "Oh…no."

Her head spins. She staggers forward. "No….not me too….gah…"

She stares at the ground and a sound fills the air.

Shredder's mocking laugh.

Thanks so much for reading! Please leave a review to let me know what you think, I really appreciate it.

As always, I'll see you in the next chapter.