I know that the first part of this chapter doesn't exactly flow with the second. But, I couldn't bear to cut it. Plus, the part about Donatello's job comes up later.
Donatello walked down the hall, fiddling with a multi-tool that he needed for one of his projects. He wasn't eavesdropping, but he happened to hear his name as he passed the kitchen, and he automatically paused, thinking someone had called him. It was immediately apparent that they weren't talking to him, but rather, they were talking about him.
"Better eat it fast before Don gets to it," Michelangelo was saying.
"No kidding. It's not like we can afford to buy more. You'd think, given how big he's gotten, that he'd want to cut back on the food intake a little. Dude's got to be uncomfortable," Raphael replied.
"You should've been next to him at practice yesterday. He was huffing and puffing like we were running a marathon, and that was just during warmup," Michelangelo groused
"Just count your lucky stars that you weren't paired up with him for training. I mean, I don't want to hurt the guy, but he's been way off balance. I'm gonna hurt myself while trying to avoid hurting him," Raphael complained.
Donatello frowned and walked into the kitchen, figuring that he might as well confront the situation rather than letting it fester. Raphael and Michelangelo were huddled around a package of cookies, and were immediately shocked into silence.
"I'll pick up some tech support hours to pay for the extra food I'm eating," Don started, unceremoniously. "And, sorry about the huffing and puffing. I'm not that out of shape yet. It's just that the babies have their own oxygen demand, and my lungs are getting cramped for space. My respiratory rate increases more than usual during exercise these days, but it doesn't mean that I'm about to pass out or keel over."
Raphael and Michelangelo looked appropriately chagrined.
"Hey, we were just blowing off some steam," Raphael finally said. "Sorry that you overheard that."
"Oh, I get it, and yes, I am off-balance and uncomfortable." Don placed a hand on his rounded midsection. "Our plastrons weren't meant to stretch like this, and it kind of feels like when someone mercilessly bends your arm backwards, then refuses to let go. It hurts, but it's either suffer discomfort or endanger the babies, so the choice is easy."
"You don't need to pick up more tech support hours to pay for food," Michelangelo said, guiltily. "Money is just fine."
"No. I'm spending a disproportionate amount, and there will be lots of stuff to buy for the babies, when they come," Don replied. "I'm not going to dig their bedding out of some dumpster. It needs to be purchased new from a store. Diapers and clothes, too. Oh, and bottles and food...and mattresses." The list was intimidatingly long, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.
"You're busy enough as it is. If anybody should pick up extra hours, it's the rest of us," Michelangelo argued.
All of the turtles did odd jobs for cash. Leonardo purchased and restored old weapons, then resold them in April's shop. Raphael helped Casey out at his automotive business when it got busy. Donatello did freelance over-the-phone tech support, and Michelangelo performed at children's birthday parties as "Cowabunga Carl." None of the jobs paid much, and the hours were sporadic, but the turtle's didn't need much money. Anything that they made went into their joint checking account. The only expense they consistently had was food.
"Isn't Bishop paying you?" Raphael asked.
"He was, back when I was at Area 51, but all of the money was going into a special account that he set up himself. It was tied into the base's debit card system, rather than an actual bank. Besides, I'm sure he's closed the account out of spite by now, knowing him."
"You should be taking it easy," Mikey reiterated. "If you think we need money, I'll try to do more gigs. I'm real sorry if we were kind of making fun of you."
The frown never left Don's face, but he insisted that it was okay, then left the room and continued with his work.
Leonardo had had enough of Hun. Don had turned surveillance of the mysterious apartment completely over to Leo, so that he could focus on the Earth Defense System. Since Hun kept finding and destroying cameras, Leonardo had resorted to old-fashioned stake outs. He still didn't know if Triceraton were in that apartment, or what the signals going to Triceraton space meant.
Hun seemed to be taunting him. The giant man had sent Purple Dragons out to cause trouble and keep the turtles distracted. They'd been wreaking enough havoc that even Don was taking time away from his invention to help with patrols.
Hun had also purchased a Triceraton costume, and left it hanging near a window. When Leonardo had first seen it, he thought for sure that it was a real Triceraton. He'd snuck in closer only to find that it was a costume, and that he'd been duped. Every so often, Hun or one of his men would drive around the city while wearing it. Leonardo was sure that it was being done just to enrage him. Hun knew that the turtles were aware of his connection to the aliens, and was openly teasing them.
Leonardo and his brothers had been holding back for the sake of protecting Don, but enough was enough. Leo was going to raid that apartment tonight, and get to the bottom of all this.
"What's going on in there isn't really all that important," Don argued. "The EDS will keep us safe. Even if Hun is up to something, I'm going to make sure that the Triceraton can't ever reach Earth again."
"Of course Hun is up to something," Raphael groaned. "It's just a matter of what. I stand with Leo. We need to take action."
Leonardo smiled. It was nice to have Raphael on his side for once.
"To what end?" Don asked. "Why tip our hats? They don't know that we're tracking their communications."
"We may be tracking their transmissions, but you haven't figured out what any of the messages mean," Leonardo pointed out.
"Ouch," Donatello muttered, putting a hand over his heart.
"Nothing personal," Leonardo half-apologized. "Anyway, if we are going to depend on your defense system, what does it matter if we decide to go after Hun? The system will protect us from the Triceraton anyway."
"I just don't want to scare him off," Don explained. "If we raid the apartment he might pack up and leave before we can figure out how he is involved in all of this."
"But he already knows that we know about the apartment, and he hasn't left yet," Leonardo reasoned. "He wrecked our cameras and he hung that costume near the window just to make fools of us."
Raphael laughed at that.
"What's so funny?" Leonardo griped. "The joke was on you too."
"Maybe, but it was pretty darn funny watching you use your best stealth moves to sneak up on that costume," Raphael chuckled. He wriggled his fingers near his face. "Look out! It's got coordinating boots and gloves!"
"We're going," Leonardo declared. He had a sharp edge to his voice that the others knew not to mess with. "We need to know for sure if Hun is harboring Triceraton."
Donatello got to his feet with a groan that was just as much due to his aching back as the questionable decision making.
Leonardo lifted his hand. "You don't have to go if you don't want to, Don."
"Oh, I'm going," Don said with resignation. "I want to see what sort of equipment they're working with. Besides, if it is a group of Triceraton in there, you guys will need all the help you can get."
"I'll call April and Casey," Michelangelo offered. Since no one argued, he made the call while Don got geared up in his armored vest and the cargo pants that he had taken to wearing instead of a belt.
As usual, Don drove the Battle Shell. He went straight to April and Casey's apartment, and idled the van long enough to let the couple climb in.
"So where are we going?" Casey asked.
"Mikey didn't tell you?" Raphael balked. "We're going to raid the apartment that Hun is holed up in and see if there are any Triceraton in there."
"Hun and the Triceraton?" April repeated. "That's quite a line up."
"We don't think there are really any Triceraton left in New York," Leonardo assured his human friends. "Tonight is mostly just about confirming that."
"So what's the plan?" April asked. "Are we knocking on the door? Coming in through the fire escape?"
"Donatello is coming with us, so we'd like you two to stay behind in the Battle Shell, in case we need backup," Leonardo answered. "The guys and I will take to the rooftops and then go in through the fire escape."
Don resisted the urge to heave a sigh. He ran a hand down his face as he pulled into an alley. He parked the car and stood up to grab his gear.
Casey's eyes bulged out when he got a load of Don. "Whoa. Now I see where all those extra groceries we've been buying have been going."
"Casey!" April hissed.
"Oh yeah, we need to add some stuff to the shopping list - pickles, milk, frozen pizza, a half dozen cans of olives and a few boxes of crackers," Raphael chuckled. "And, more peanut butter. Again."
Donatello shot Raphael a dirty look, but didn't say anything to defend himself. Heck, how could he? It was true. "Let's just go," Don grumped.
Casey got behind the wheel and the turtles climbed up the nearest building. Leonardo didn't really like Don leaping rooftops in his condition, but he kept up without any issues. Still, he was clutching his middle and breathing hard when he landed on top of Hun's building. "You okay?" Leonardo asked.
"Yup," Don said sharply. "Let's get in there and get this over with."
"I told you that you were welcome to stay behind if you preferred," Leonardo reminded him.
"And I said no," Donatello reinforced.
Leonardo frowned. "Well, if you're coming, do us all a favor and drop the bad attitude."
Don frowned, but Michelangelo leapt to his defense. "Harsh, Leo. Hun's the enemy here, not Don."
"Let's just get down there," Leonardo growled as he began to descend. His brothers followed suit.
"You're on, Raph," Leonardo said when he reached the window. Raphael stepped forward to jimmy it open.
"Do we want to be this hasty?" Don asked. "I could check for heat signatures, see where they are."
"Doesn't matter," Leonardo dismissed as Raphael continued to work. They'll come running as soon as they hear us anyway. When they do, Raph and I go in, followed by Mikey. Don can come in after we've taken a few of them out."
"Oh man, why am I on the B-team?" Michelangelo complained. He shrugged and smiled impishly when he saw Don's offended look.
Don's face softened, and he shook his head helplessly as Raphael popped open the window. He lifted it and Leonardo immediately slunk in. No alarms were going off. That was good, anyway. Michelangelo and Donatello jockeyed for position at the window as thundering footsteps approached. Inside the apartment, Leonardo and Raphael dropped into a fighting stance.
Humans! It was only humans. Leonardo actually laughed out loud as he pushed his swords back into their sheaths. Raphael twirled his sais so that the spikes were resting against his forearm. He kicked an approaching Purple Dragon in the knee, then followed up with a roundhouse punch to the man's jaw.
Leonardo executed a spin kick that caught one of the other Dragons in the ribs. "Where's Hun?" He yelled. He then ducked out of the way to avoid a fist that was flying at him.
"He's not home," the Dragon shouted as he managed to kick Leonardo backwards. At the same time, Raphael grunted as he was punched in the gut. The Dragons were huge, almost as big as Hun himself. Another three that were only slightly smaller rushed in to join the fray.
Michelangelo cringed. "Uh oh."
"Should you be getting in there?" Donatello urged.
"I guess," Michelangelo groaned.
"Maybe I should go too," Don considered. "I don't like the looks of this."
"Not sure Leo would want you in there just yet," Mikey said as he climbed into the room. He set his nunchucks spinning and ran towards a Dragon that was attempting to grab Leonardo by the shell.
"Careful of the equipment!" Donatello hollered.
"Call Hun, NOW!" one of the Dragons shouted.
Raphael had been knocked down, but he bounced right back up. His quick recovery caught his opponent off guard, and Raph managed to unleash a fierce uppercut against the bottom of his enemy's jaw as he regained his feet. The Dragon fell down. Dust puffed out of the dingy carpet. Unsurprisingly, cleaning didn't appear to be a priority for these guys.
Don ran in and began hog-tying the fallen Dragon in ropes. "What are you doing here?" Leonardo yelled as he backflipped away from a knife that had been thrust at his chest.
"Me?" Don checked. "Just cleaning up." He finished his final knot. "You're outnumbered. We don't need any of the fallen ones getting back up."
"Here's another one for you," Mikey celebrated. He cracked one of the newcomers in the shoulder with one of his nunchucks. Don thrust out his bo out so that the Dragon tripped over it as he stumbled backwards. As soon as the Dragon hit the ground, Raphael sprung up and landed on the man's chest. The Dragon thrashed as Don tied him up as well.
Leonardo was fighting two men at once while all of this was happening. He had the battle under control, but it was hard to simultaneously fight two huge men and keep an eye on Don. Leonardo inadvertently sent one Purple Dragon stumbling in his pregnant brother's direction. He gasped as Raphael flung himself between Don and the enemy.
Fortunately, Raphael was able to keep Don from being attacked, but it was clear to the Dragons that the turtles were trying to protect a vulnerable member of their team. One of the Dragons who had been standing in the bedroom doorway closed in on Don.
"Don't engage," one of the other Dragons yelled to his comrade, huffing as he fought off a flurry of attacks from Michelangelo. "Hang back and protect the equipment like Hun told us to!"
Donatello finished with the ropes and stood up, bo staff in hand. If that Dragon was protecting the equipment, it meant that Don would have to go through him regardless. He ground his jaw and considered the situation as the battle swirled around him.
Don sprinted a few steps and launched himself with his bo. Rather than going straight towards his selected opponent, as would have been expected, Don landed a few feet to his right. He immediately dropped to his knees and let the bo slide through his fingers. Once his hands were at its base, Don swung his staff around, landing a hit on the Dragon's ribs.
Angered, the man grabbed for Don's bo. Don was too fast, and snatched it back, setting it spinning close to his body. The Dragon took a good swing at Don, but the turtle managed to block it. The Dragon quickly followed with another punch. This one glanced off of Don's shoulder. It was no big deal, the type of hit each turtle had taken a thousand times without notice.
"Donnie!" Michelangelo shrieked.
"I'm fine!" Don hollered.
Nevertheless, Raphael came running and cracked Don's attacker in the jaw with the butt of his sai. At the same time, Leonardo brought his own opponent down. Michelangelo's opponent saw that he was the last man standing and hollered an expletive. Rather than heading for the door, he took flight towards the rear bedroom.
"He's going for the equipment!" Leonardo yelled.
Michelangelo attempted to trip the Dragon, but he leapt over Mikey's foot and practically ran over Raphael. Don attempted to sprint to the bedroom, but Leonardo jumped in front of him. "Raph and Mikey can get the equipment!"
The two nodded and ran off. Still holding Don back, Leonardo pulled out his shell cell. "Casey, April - keep a close eye on the outside of the building. We may have a Dragon or two headed your way."
Leonardo hung up before they could answer, then ran to the bedroom himself. Don hesitated for a moment before following. The rear bedroom was small. There was a device appearing similar to a ham radio set up in an opened closet, but the battle was raging in front of it. Don didn't dare get closer. Still, it was four turtles against one Purple Dragon. The fight should be finishing up quickly.
Don saw an opening and ran to the closet. He scanned as fast as he could. The transmitter was too big to move, so he would need to take it apart and select a few key components to take back. He was certain that reinforcements were on the way and that Hun would be moving his equipment to a more secure location. The genius turtle grabbed a screwdriver and wrench from his duffel, deciding to start with the antenna.
One of the Dragons who hadn't been tied up came running into the bedroom. Leonardo stopped him from getting to Don, but it seemed as though the Dragons had recovered from the sneak attack and were now fighting as though their lives depended on it. Michelangelo had a long cut on his thigh, and Raphael was favoring one arm.
"Work faster, Don!" Leonardo yelled.
Don ducked below a knife that had been thrown his way. He loosened the last screw and yanked the antenna out triumphantly. He gave a celebratory whoop and dropped it into his bag.
"You got it?" Leonardo asked as he dodged a fist.
"Not even close," Don shot back as he looked into the hole that was created by the extracted antenna. "The internal components in this thing are massive!"
"Grab a few and let's go!" Raphael cried. "Hun could be here at any minute!"
Don licked his lips. Part of him didn't want to take anything, for fear that the Triceraton would speed up their efforts now that they knew their cover on earth was blown. A bigger part of him knew that it was too late for second guesses. If they could speak to the Triceraton, Hun's team would surely let their alien comrades know what had happened here anyway. A huge human body crashed into the closet. Don yelped and tossed a shuriken. It buried itself in the Dragon's shin, then Mikey appeared and dragged the man back out by his shoulders.
Don sensed that the battle was going south. He reached into the transmitter and yanked out what he could. It would have to do. "Let's go," he yelled, dropping the new pieces into his bag.
The turtles made a break for the fire escape, and scurried down it. "Where are April and Casey?" Raphael shouted.
Leonardo scanned the area. He saw the Battle Shell headed their way. "There!"
The turtles ran for the van, Don clinging to his brown duffel. Suddenly, the shoulder strap was violently pulled back. Don suppressed a cry as a lance of pain shot through his back and shoulder.
"Hun!" Leonardo yelled. He stopped running and immediately backflipped. The instant change in direction caught Hun off guard, and Leonardo managed to land on his shoulders.
"Get to the van, Don," Leonardo commanded. He pinched Hun's shoulder right on a nerve, making the giant's arm go numb. Hun involuntarily released his grip on the bag. Don clutched it harder and stepped back.
Leo was now riding Hun's shoulders while the huge brute bucked around like a bull attempting to throw a cowboy. Don hesitated, not wanting to leave his brothers in this situation. "I said go!" Leonardo yelled.
Deciding not to risk his leader's ire, Don did as commanded. Leonardo and Raphael took down Hun. Giddy with victory, everyone piled into the van. Don looked up just long enough to see that everyone was okay, then began going through his bag to take stock of his new treasure.
"Nice mission guys," Leonardo complimented. Don was so involved in his work that he hardly heard. While the others were celebrating that there were no Triceraton on earth after all, Don was already distracted thinking about what he would do with his new toys.