After all the noise and destruction following the harpies' visit, Alex remained in a deep sleep. They weren't in any hurry to wake her and had plenty of other things to occupy their time.
She lied there as they tended to their injuries, Casey's being the center of attention. While the others began clearing away the shards of glass, Raph and Leo exchanged brief glances before disappearing outside. Donatello looked up for a moment when they returned some time later. He couldn't help but notice the dirt that clung to their feet and hands and the dirty shovels left out on the porch.
The remnants of night slipped by as the sky brightened, though daylight did little to improve Alex's appearance. Her hair was darker now and her skin grayer.
Donatello knelt by the couch, the floorboards cold and hard. He checked her temperature and pulse for a moment before cautiously examining her eyes. The red irises seemed somehow muted now that it was morning; her pupils constricted under Don's penlight.
"Her temperature and heart rate are both elevated."
Leonardo steadied his brother as he rose. "Meaning….?"
Donatello didn't answer right away. "Under normal circumstances: infection, maybe trauma. But this? Whatever this is, I can only guess what's happening."
"Then guess." Raphael's voice had lost some of its hardness; he slid down the wall beside Mikey and rested his head in one hand.
"Her symptoms suggest an increased metabolic demand. Which means whatever this transformation is, it seems to be speeding up."
"We're running out of time." Leonardo paced from one end of the room to the other. "And what's worse is that we're no closer to a solution than we were before."
Donatello tensed as he reached into his bag and pulled out a fresh tranquilizer. "There's no way for us to know exactly how much longer she can hang on. I can keep her sedated, but the way things are going we have to assume she could turn at any time."
"And remember," Raphael joined in, "those things shake off tranq darts pretty quick. Once it finally happens, all that's gonna do is slow her down and piss her off."
"She'll have to be restrained." Leonardo's remark made Mikey rise from his spot on the floor. "It's for her safety as well as everyone else's. Medea seems to have a certain amount of influence over the other harpies, which means that Alex might not be able to control herself."
"It'll only be temporary, Mikey." Donatello's voice was gentle as his youngest brother clenched his fists. "And someone will stay with her at all times in case she wakes up."
When he didn't object, Donny left and returned a moment later with rope and gauze. He motioned for his brother to join him so he could watch as he wound the gauze around her wrists and ankles first, so the ropes wouldn't rub too harshly against her skin. Alex stirred in her sleep once during the process, grimacing as if she was in pain and parting her lips to reveal lengthening canines.
Donatello swiftly dosed her with more sedatives, his mouth a hard line as he did so.
They bound her to the couch, checking the ties and making sure she was secure without cutting off circulation. Once they were finally finished, Michelangelo felt nauseous looking down at his friend.
Leonardo pulled him away and led him to the kitchen table, pushing a plate at him. "Everyone try to eat something. We need to rest during the brightest part of the day. These things are obviously getting desperate, and if we can hold it together we can use that to our advantage."
Looking around the room, with Casey having already fallen asleep against the wall and the sick girl lying on the couch, Donatello couldn't help but think that the harpies weren't the only ones becoming desperate.
April didn't buy Casey's assurances for one minute. He called that afternoon to check in, his voice tired as he rambled and evaded her questions. Eventually, he relented and admitted that they had been attacked the night before. He reported a little too quickly that they had driven the harpies off; April's heart sped up when she asked to speak to Alex and her husband paused.
He detailed how she had begun to change the night before and how Donatello had been forced to sedate her. Casey's promise that she was safe and that Donny was monitoring her did little to calm April. After they ended the call, she placed her head in her hands and started to cry softly.
Splinter, who had come in towards the end of the conversation, padded over with a concerned expression. She relayed the news to him, and for a few moments he simply stood next to her while she cried.
With a drained sigh, she wiped her eyes and glanced up at him. "The thing is, I'm not just crying because of Alex. I can't stop thinking about her mother and how she doesn't even know what her daughter is going through."
She stopped, unable to continue as her eyes welled up with tears again. A heaviness settled on Splinter's own chest at the thought, and with difficulty he took a slow, deep breath.
"She is safe and in good hands with the boys and Mr. Jones." He took her hand. "As long as she's with them, they will not allow any harm to come to her."
April nodded her head, willing herself to at least believe this.
For days, Helena had felt anxious, and when she stopped and thought too much about it, she recognized another emotion.
Guilt.
She didn't understand why she felt this way, and it scared her the more she considered it. So she did the right thing, the only thing, and pushed the worry down and carried out her orders. Medea has never led her astray before, so there was never any reason to question or doubt her.
Why would she? Medea saved all those girls, including Helena. She can't remember what exactly it was she was rescued from, but that she was rescued was certain. So she must know something that Helena didn't, some reason why turning the girl made sense. All she had to do was trust Medea and have faith that everything would work out for the best.
But try as she might, she couldn't help but feel unsettled about the girl. She had only wanted to use her as a distraction to escape the mutants that night; it had never been her intention to turn her, the first time that she had ever made such an error.
It was impossible to hide anything from Medea for long, and even though she said nothing, the decision was made that Helena wouldn't accompany the hunting party to retrieve the girl. She didn't meet her leader's eyes and only watched her companions as they depart into the dusky horizon. Later that night, she took to the skies in an attempt to clear her head. Before she knew it, she was perched on an empty rooftop overlooking a familiar building. The downstairs restaurant had long since closed for the day, but she could see into the upstairs window that the girl's mother was still awake.
As if she felt the harpy's presence, the woman glanced out at her; she stared for a moment but then turned away when she found nothing. She did not see Helena as she sped away, the sense of shame gnawing even harder at her.
When she returned to their sanctuary, the arrival of the other harpies did nothing to help how she felt. Instead, she hung back in the shadows and watched as the hunting party returned shrieking from their mission. With dread she counted their numbers and realized that not only had they failed to retrieve the girl, two of their own had not come home.
She watched as Medea wailed at their news and rallied the other harpies. As they echoed her cries for revenge and beat their wings, Helena could only stand frozen and watch as the scene unfolded.
Medea met her eyes once; Helena could not decipher the look she gave her.
They slept in fitful shifts and afterwards went to work refortifying the house. Casey and Donatello had gone out earlier in the afternoon to purchase supplies. In addition to plywood to board up the broken windows, they had somehow managed to acquire a substantial cache of flares.
"I don't have time to replenish our stock of flash bangs," Donatello said as he began to divide the flares into equal shares. "but these should work for now."
They each refilled their packs and set about repairing the floodlights. The ground was littered with black feathers that gleamed in the sunlight. Leonardo quietly gathered several of these and placed them within his bag, and for a moment Michelangelo thought to ask him about it.
Donatello had reinforced the fuse box and encased the lights in shatter proof glass; after finishing the first one, he stepped back several paces. Leonardo, who was patiently waiting nearby, sent one of the feathers flying towards it. The missile gave out a high pitched ring when it made contact, but the shield remained intact. Satisfied, he retrieved the fallen weapon and returned it to his pack.
"Now we just have to hope it holds up again the real thing tonight." Donatello said, moving to the next light.
It didn't even occur to them that the harpies might not return. Leonardo's assessment of them becoming desperate was all too accurate, and the disturbing decline of Alex's condition made it clear it was her they were coming for.
They finished preparing the outdoor defenses and moved back inside. Alex was unchanged from how they had left her; Casey had stayed indoors, boarding up the shattered window as best as he could. Donatello went over and repeated his earlier assessment, and when he stood up he simply shook his head. No one felt the need to ask for further details.
They tried to eat dinner, but the food was flavorless and heavy as they forced it down. As Michelangelo finished his last bite, he noticed two things: the sun was setting outside in a brilliant display of red and orange, and Alex was awake.
She was staring silently at him, her bright red eyes burning into his from across the room. Despite their unnatural color, her gaze was clearer than it had been for several days. Michelangelo tried to stand up slowly but it was no use; his brothers had noticed as well.
As Donatello lunged for his bag with the tranquilizers, Alex never took her eyes off Michelangelo. The sun sank out of sight and with it Alex uttered her last sentence before all hell broke loose.
"Help me."
The harpies flew fast and low once they had left the city far enough behind. Medea led them silently towards their destination, guiding the others by the strange link that bound them all together. Helena flew close at her side as she always did, attempting and failing to conceal her growing discomfort.
Abruptly, Medea descended and landed roughly on a tree limb. Her entire body was taunt as her eyes gleamed brighter than ever and a breathless smile broke across her face.
"It's happening." She answered Helena's wordless question as she perched below her. She smiled wider and began to laugh, the joy in the sound tinged with something that made Helena's blood run cold.
"We're not far now." Medea turned and looked directly at her. "The rest of the party will take care of your sister's abductors. As for you Helena," She leaned down, her voice changing and echoing in Helena's head. "she is your fledgling after all, so I will permit you to be the one to collect her."
Helena's stomach contracted at this, but she was powerless to refuse. So she took the air again, the screeches of the other harpies mixing with the growing, whispering voice that did not belong to Medea.
Alex had destroyed the couch before Donatello could reach her with the sedatives. With a loud, bone cracking explosion, her wings burst forth from her back and the socks she was wearing were torn apart by the emerging claws on her feet. She flailed about, her talons slicing the cushions apart and severing their carefully tied robes.
She cried out in pain and horror, collapsing on the floor with her face buried beneath her arms. The brothers scrambled for their headsets, but she heard their movements and lifted her head, breathing hard and squinting from the brightness of the lights. Just before they could turn on the headphones, she opened her mouth and screamed.
Whatever glass was left in the room immediately shattered at the force of her wail. The air around them seemed to shimmer as they dropped to the ground, their bodies spasming against their will. They laid there, helpless and paralyzed until the assault passed.
The scream finally died off, and with great effort the turtles forced themselves to take shaky breaths as their bodies unclenched. Leonardo pushed himself up into a kneeling position first, his vision blurry for several beats as he shook his head.
He heard the crunching of glass underfoot as a dark shape stumbled out the front door. By the time he could see clearly, Alex was already gone, leaving him and his siblings gasping for air.
As they all struggled to their feet, Raphael let out a hoarse shout. "Casey!"
Their friend had been standing closest to Alex and had borne the brunt of her attack. He hadn't risen after Alex's departure, causing them to rush to his side. Donatello pushed the others back as he skidded to his knees. He fumbled at Casey's neck for an instant, staring wide-eyed at his chest. He let out his bated breath and let his hand fall to this side.
"He's alive, just stunned."
After this announcement, Michelangelo ran to the door, straining his eyes to see anything beyond the perimeter of the floodlights. The trees rustled in the wind, but other than that the world was eerily still. Before he could take one step off the porch, he heard the unmistakable shrieks of harpies approaching.
Alex crashed through the dense underbrush of the surrounding forest. Briars snatched at her clothes and tore her bare skin, slowing her already clumsy escape. Her wings made her unbalanced and several times she tripped and careened into trees and boulders. In her panic she was careless with her steps and caught her talons on a raised tree root. She half fell, half slid down a steep ditch into a ravine. The cool water shocked her as she struggled to right herself, her breathing coming in shaky sobs. Lying there in the shallows, the strange whispering voice grew so loud Alex could almost understand what it was saying. She couldn't think clearly; the only thing she was sure of was that she needed to run, but from what or to where she didn't know.
She wheeled about when she caught the soft, rhythmic sound of beating wings. A harpy broke through the canopy, hovering for a moment before quietly landing upstream from her. Alex tried to back away, but her hands kept slipping on the pebbles beneath her. The harpy advanced and for the first time was able to clearly see her face. The deep furrows of her brows obscured it for a second, but Alex quickly found the thin scar curving above one eye.
"Stay back." She found it difficult to speak. The words scratched at her throat and her voice was strained. Instinctually, she screamed again, but no matter how hard she forced it nothing would come out.
"My name is Helena and I'm not going to hurt you, Alex." The harpy crouched in front of her, her expression almost...sorrowful? "You need to save your voice, though. You've already overexerted yourself, by the sound of it."
Alex stared dumbly at her, the world slowly starting to spin. She closed her eyes and moaned, and from the shadows the whispers reached out to her again. As she began to shiver, a light hand fell on her shoulder.
"Everything's going to be okay, Alex. Come with me and I'll protect you."
Helena's voice, though gentle, successfully pulled Alex back to reality. She snatched her shoulder free and struck out with a clawed hand. The older harpy dodged the attack with ease, her pained expression deepening at the girl's outburst.
"Leave! Me! ALONE!" Anger rose up and swallowed some of Alex's fear. "What the hell do you want with me?!"
Helena opened and closed her mouth several times; whatever answer she could provide turned to ash in her mouth with every attempt.
Before Alex could lash out again, movement above them caught her attention. Dark, gray figures glided through the air in the direction of the house, and a few seconds later shouts erupted followed by shrieks and the high pitched ringing of the harpies' hardened feathers.
Whatever color Alex had left drained from her face. She leapt to her feet faster than her balance allowed, and would have fallen if Helena hadn't caught her.
"No!" She yelled, pulling with all her might against the harpy's grip. Helena managed to hold onto her, her talons digging in but unable to pierce the scaly hide of her forearm. "Leave them alone! Please!"
Helena looked at her, then back at the rest of the hunting party. This time they had been unable to destroy the floodlights, but luckily for them the turtles were venturing into the dark searching for Alex. The trees granted them some limited protection. Every now and then one of the harpies would dive through an opening and attack, only to be sent away yelping from bleeding wounds.
More and more harpies were arriving, and slowly they began to overwhelm the brothers. Alex watched helplessly as three dove at once and caught one of them, bringing him down heavily into a pile of feathers and sharp talons. The rest of the turtles rushed forward to help and managed to free him, scattering two back into the air while one slumped motionless on the ground next to him.
Alex struggled in earnest now, beating Helena with her free arm. "Please! I'll go with you, I'll do anything you want! Just please don't hurt them!"
The fallen turtle was on his feet now, leaning heavily on his staff while another attempted to bind his injuries. Helena didn't move for what felt like an eternity. Then, gritting her teeth and cursing loudly, she raised her voice to the other harpies. "Fall back! We have what we came for!"
They halted and turned to stare at her, torn between either disobeying Medea's original orders or the current ones from her lieutenant. They turned and hissed at the turtles but in the end did as they were told. They flung themselves into the skies and disappeared in the gloom, their victory cries chasing after them.
Helena looked back at the girl and gave her a firm tug. "Up. Now. There isn't much time."
Alex's heart felt as if it would give out at any moment. Her entire body went numb, and she doubted she could remain standing for much longer, let alone fly.
"Wh-what? I don't know-I can't-"
"Yes," Helena interrupted. "You can."
Any even stranger feeling washed over Alex as the whispering increased, making the rest of the world sound like it was at the end of a very long tunnel. Her body began to move on its own accord, her wings fanning out and straining to break away from the earth. The last thing she consciously remembered was Mikey's face staring up at her as she turned and followed the other harpies. After that, her mind drifted in and out of a dream like state and she knew nothing else.
She couldn't have told anyone how long they flew or in what direction. The first thing that registered was the sound of water crashing against a rocky shore. Next came the sensation of the wind rushing past her face as they descended. The image of a dark, abandoned building came into view. Off in the distance, she saw the shimmering, blinding lights of the city.
She followed them as they flew through decrepit openings in the walls and roof. Her landing was less than graceful as she fell and tumbled on the hard earth, her limbs shaking as she regained control. Her fear came back in dizzying waves and she vomited on the ground, though all that came up was a puddle of stomach acid that burned her already raw throat
All around her the noise was ceaseless as the harpies came home to roost, their talons clacking on metal and concrete. Their conversations were punctuated by hisses and shrieks that made her head hurt, and Alex raised her hands to her ears in an attempt to block out the deafening clamor.
"Shh!"
All at once, a heavy silence fell upon the gathering. They all turned and watched as one of the harpies broke apart from the crowd and moved towards Alex. She kept her eyes firmly on the ground, trying desperately to make this another nightmare from which she could simply wake up.
The harpy stopped in front of her and knelt, paying no mind to the vomit soaking into the dirt. With one hand, she tilted Alex's face up until they were looking into one another's eyes. Medea softly wiped away the girl's tears while her own trailed down her cheeks.
"Welcome home, my sweet child."
It was all too much, and when the world dimmed and faded from view, Alex was almost grateful for sweet relief of unconsciousness.
*I own nothing but the OCs*
WOHOO! At long last, a very, VERY overdue update.
Major thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, left kudos, and favorited this story. Without going into too much detail, life as a frontline worker during 2020 has been full of stress and even scary at times. I'm so happy I was finally able to sit down and finish this chapter before the year ended, and I appreciate each and everyone of my readers.
Stay safe, have a Happy Holiday season, and as always critiques and thoughts are welcomed!