Nana...
Steve mentioned after lunch she would take Todd to his afternoon kindergarten class in town. Leo noticed her getting ready to go, and asked if he could come along. He really felt the need to call home and tell Splinter they were safe.
The roads across the hilly terrain seemed much different that what Leo had expected. He found the rolling hills covered with trees fascinating. The van veered down the twisty road. If the narrow road was not going from side to side, it was going up and down.
Steve looked at Leo, then put her eyes back on the road. He looked like he was bothered by something ever since lunch. "Do you drive too?" She thought of another conversation topic. For some reason, the whole idea of them driving still struck her as absurd.
"Yeah. More or less taught ourselves...with the help close friend," Leo nodded.
"I was surprised when Don wanted to drive the tractor."
"Well, we don't drive a whole lot, cause we're afraid the cops would see us," Leo grinned. "But Don likes messin' around under the hood more than being behind the wheel." He heard Todd ask her something. Leo looked back to the little boy, then shifted his focus. "You did tell him to not say anything about us at school?"
"Yes, but I don't know if he actually will. Y'know how kids are."
They respected the silence for a while. The van passed through a densely forested area. There, a few trees were clinging on to their leaves of red and gold a little longer before winter arrived. Leo could help but notice them, for the pollution in New York City had done something to the fall colors on it's trees, making them mostly brown. It fact, he never saw so many beautiful trees. Yet, he thought how shocking it was how people just chop them down like a mower cutting the lawn, especially in places where the wildlife and environment needs trees.
Todd started to ask her to turn on the radio again. She finally clicked on the radio, so that the drawl of some country vocalist filled the van. Steve grinned and turned the dial to a top-forty station. "The more I get to know you guys, the more I'm intrigued by you." Steve spoke again. He still looked a bit occupied with his thoughts. "The four of you are brothers, aren't you?"
"It amazes me how well you can figure us out," Leo slung back at her.
"Hmm, I guess it's because I've been around horses so long, I've learned how to read them-- through body language, personality, the eyes." Steve explained to him.
"They say the eyes are the window to your soul," Leo nodded.
"Raphael," Steve sighed, "is he usually that belligerent, or is something bothering him?"
Leo sighed. Raph was whom he was trying to not think about. "He's just suffers from a tough guy image."
"Is he okay now?" Steve continued, "He was really mad this morning."
"Yeah, he gets that way at times. Raph thought we should be doing something about the stolen horses. That's why he climbed the tree, he wanted to get an overview of the farm." Leo turned in his seat. Maybe I should get my thoughts out, to end this puzzle.
"Honestly, Steve," Leo looked at her profile and narrowed his eyes, "Are you allies with the Foot, our enemies?" That question had been eating at him ever since Raph put it into his head.
"Allies with your enemy?!" She looked over to him.
"Yeah, just by how you wanted us to stay at the farm, then how you know so much--"
"No, look," Steve had to pull the van over to the side of the road. She put it into park and turned to Leo, "Leo, don't you know the difference between a kind offer and a trap? All I saw of you, before you told me who you really were, was a bunch of teens in need of help. Gary and I thought you were all a bunch of runaways!" Steve sighed and looked back at Todd a moment. "All I was bein' to you is a Good Samaritan. How could you even..."
Leo found her very convincing...the truth shone in her eyes. He had nothing to say yet.
"Do I look like a threat?" she looked at Leo.
"No, but Raph thought you all weren't good. I wasn't accepting his idea, but it seemed so possible." He looked back up to her. "We're always walkin' on eggshells."
Steve faced the road and sighed. "Okay," she put the van into drive and pulled away from the edge. No more was said until they reached town.
"Nice town," Leo commented, looking at the old shops and buildings. He hoped she had forgiven him by now. He didn't like going around accusing innocent people.
"It is, as far as small towns go," Steve drove up to the school. Todd already unbuckled himself from the car seat. "Okay, I'll be back," she left the van with Todd.
Later, Steve gave him a brief description of the town, so he would not get lost, and the store she'll be shopping in. Leo told her he just wanted to find a pay phone to call Splinter, as well as buy some groceries for themselves.
When they returned to the simplicity of the farm again, Steve pointed out Ryan's truck as to warn Leo. But Leo was more surprised to find the two so determined to solve the case in the living room playing cards.
"War?" he confirmed, "And I thought you were going to be able to race in the Kentucky Derby by this time." Leo teased Mike.
"Gotcha again," Don laid down his card.
"Hi Leo," Mike handed Don his stack of cards. He wanted to warn Leo about Raph's edginess, but had to think of a not so obvious way.
"They've been at it for some time, the geeks." Raph was sitting on the couch, watching TV.
"No way, Tractor Boy! A tie?" Mike gasped.
"Yes way...splittin' time!"
"God." Raph stood up. He left to the kitchen, just to be confronted by Steve.
"What did you guys do to the kitchen?" she questioned him.
"Uhh...Steve-" Mike stood up. Don't make him mad, Steve...
"Hey, it was those two," Raph pointed to Mike. "I was out walking the fence lines." He turned away from her to go upstairs.
"Um, Steve," Mike walked into the kitchen, "Lemme explain, me and Don made you a couple of apple pies, to say thank you for puttin' up with us." He lifted up a dishtowel, which covered the cooling pies. "I just, um, didn't get around to cleanin' up right away."
"Oh, okay," she looked at the pies. "But, apology won't be accepted until you clean up my kitchen, okay."
Leo and Don also came into the kitchen.
"Help him clean up this place," she put a grocery bag on the table. "And get Raphael down here too." she told Leo, as he went up the stairs.
Leo also had something he wanted to clear up with Raph first.
Raph stormed into the guestroom, thoughtful enough to spare the wooden door he closed behind him. He walked over to the window and crossed his arms. They're just sitting ducks on this farm. Sitting ducks waiting for the hunter to shoot them out of the water. The fact they were being treated like barn slaves only made his impatience grow worse. If nothing happens soon, I'm gonna leave this place. Even if it meant leaving the others behind. The guilt of betrayal was just tearing him apart...and why did Mike not tell the truth to Splinter.
The door opened. Leo walked into the room and partially closed the door behind him. "Steve still wants you to help clean up."
Raph turned around, "Why the fuck should I, Leo?" He kept his arms crossed.
Leo didn't like his response. Raph's eyes shone with cold hatred for something. "'Cause we're stayin' in her house."
"But I didn't do that!" he held his hands out.
"I don't give a damn," Leo yelled at him, "Y'know, you gotta stop blaming your shit on everyone!"
"Blaming?" Raph's eyes narrowed. "You don't even know what Mike's been hiding from you and Splinter."
Downstairs, they heard the loud voices echo down the stair well. "Ut-oh," Mike looked at Steve and Don. Leave it to Leo to set Raph off.
Leo stepped closer to Raph. "I don't mean on Mike. Dammit, Steve isn't our enemy."
"No way. She is, they all are." Raph turned away from Leo.
"Raph!" Leo reached to turn him around.
Raph spun around to knock Leo's arm out of the way, "Leo, don't even..."
That broke Leo's last straw. "Raph, listen!" he charged him head-on. Raph tripped over a bag and fell backwards.
Wood cracking followed the reverberated sound of Raph's shell hitting the half-open door. A few broken dowel rods from the banister bounced down the stairs. "That's it, I'm going to stop 'em," Steve left the kitchen.
Mike stopped her in the hallway. "No, don't. Lemme see what they're doin'." He turned to go up the stairs.
Leo was sitting on top of Raph now. Raph had slid into the banister when he fell, bringing Leo with him. Despite the fact his wind was knocked out of him, Raph tried to punch Leo in the mouth.
Leo blocked it. "Listen Raph," he held his arm. Raph choked in air when his diaphragm started to function again. "Splinter told me it's not the Foot taking' the horses."
Raph didn't say anything. He stared at Leo and stopped resisting the restraint.
Leo looked pass Raph to see Mike standing in the stairway. "Splinter thinks it's some guys with guns, and he's worried 'bout that." He got off of Raph, and gave a reassuring look to Mike. Mike turned back down the stairs. His anger subsiding, Leo realized how damaged the banister was and how foolish he was for rushing his brother. He looked at Raph and offered a hand. "C'mon."
"I shoulda never went with," Raph got up on his own. He didn't look at Leo. "Splinter...he's really pissed, isn't he?"
Leo sighed, rubbing his face once. "Are you also mad because you left...we left him, against his wishes?"
"Yeah, Leo!" Raph turned around. He looked Leo square in the eyes now. "I only went along cuz I thought we were on t'somethin'. But this...this place is a dead end! And then all this shit she knew about us? How?"
"She told me she's just good at reading us, like she does with the horses," Leo explained, "but I guess you're too preoccupied to see that!"
"You wanna know why I'm preoccupied? It's cuz we're doin' nothin'. What was the whole point of this? And Mikey...the liar." Raph stepped up to Leo. He pointed down the stairwell. "If I didn't get sucked up in this punishment alone....damn, how did Mike weasel past Splinter?"
"Mike didn't go an' place the bets," Leo refuted.
Raph kept his stance. Is that how you see it?
"But that's been done, so get over it." Leo started down the stairs. "C'mon, Raph,"
Mike stood at the foot of the stairs, piecing together one of the broken dowel rods. He kept his eyes down until Raph passed by. They gave each other cold looks.
The others had most of the kitchen cleaned up by the time Leo and Raph showed. Raph gave Steve a harsh look when she offered him a sponge, then he took it.
Leo began to explain what happened upstairs to Steve. He told her the damage was his fault and that he'll fix the banister.
Mike walked into the kitchen with the dowel rods still in his hand. He took in a deep breath. "Raphael?" he looked at him, "What were you sayin' about me?"
Raph left the sponge on the counter. "How's it you got outta the betting thing? You've been doin' it all along, then I get caught that one time. What's up wit that?"
"All I said is that By Sacrifice and them was good. I didn't say 'We gotta bet on them'!" Mike held the two halves of the dowel rod in his right hand, like nunchuks.
"Bullshit!" Raph's anger heightened again. He was still mad from Leo rushing him.
"Bullshit? Look, we were there to find out stuff, not to bet!" Mike got into Raph's face.
"Stop twistin' it around! You lost the fuckin' thieves!" Raph clenched his fists, his rage peaking.
"I do not like this," Steve stepped towards the two. Leo advanced ahead of her.
"No, Leo's got it," Don put a hand on Steve's shoulder to hold her back.
Mike pointed the rods at Raph, "But I know it when I see an enemy!"
"Liar," Raph grabbed Mike's jersey and hit him in the jaw.
Surprised he was caught off guard, Mike returned his punch with the dowel rods into Raph's armpit.
Leo caught Raph's fist in the air before he could retaliate. "Time-out!" he pulled the two apart. On most occasions, he would let them battle it out. But not here, they'd tear up the place.
"C'mon Mikey, let's just talk it out." Leo pushed him away from Raph.
"Loser!" Mike threw in his last insult as Leo led him to the living room.
Raph held his hands up in the air. "Losah? You could do bettah than that!" He sensed Don standing next to him. "Get away, geek," Raph swatted his hand. Don dodged him. Suddenly, Raph felt the stinging sensation from a slap on his left cheek.
"You stop it!" Steve stood in front of him. She held a stern look on her face.
Raph was stunned now. Bitch...his lips formed the word as he stared at her. A woman before never hit him, even if she was a pregnant one with mood swings. He clenched his fists and raised them.
Not knowing what Raph was thinking, Don stepped up behind Steve. He couldn't believe she did that either. Not a wise thing to do to Raph now... If he was going to take a shot at Steve, Don was ready to stop him.
Steve kept her eyes focused on Raph's fiery ones. She allowed her eyes to use peripheral vision. As she looked him over, she could tell he was only bluffing. Steve put her hands on top of Raph's fists. Just the weight of her hands lowered them.
Raph started to grit his teeth from nerves. He saw a perplexed look on Don's face.
"Easy, Raph," Steve's voice was calming, yet assertive. She ran both her hands up his arms and rested them above his elbows. Through his jersey, she felt how hard his biceps were from the tension. It told Steve how much stress he was under. "Just relax, breathe Raph. I'm not gonna hurt you, Don's not gonna interfere, Mike and Leo are in the other room working things out."
He couldn't look at Steve anymore. A million thoughts were running through his head. Raph was definitely against the idea of submitting to her, right in front of everyone. Don somehow sensed this and left them to go to the stairwell.
In order to get his attention back, Steve brought her right hand up to touch Raph's cheek. She found his jaw still clenched. "Raphael, look at me," Steve put her hand back on his arm. Her eyes focused on his. They were cloaked with the same anger she saw earlier, but now she saw some guilt too. "I want this trouble to stop between all of you. It's dangerous and unproductive, do you understand?" But that was not all. Her eyes told him it was okay. She wasn't their enemy.
Raph closed his eyes for a couple seconds. He could finally see what his brothers saw in her. He took in a deep breath and opened his eyes, "I shoulda never left. I gotta go back to the city..." Raph exhaled.
Steve felt his arms relax to some degree then took her hands off. His fight response was gone for now.
"Y'see, Master Splinter grounded me for bettin'. And...my brothers talked me into doing this... escape, just to get outta it." Raph slowly explained to her. "But nothin's happening here." He put his hand under his armpit, where Mike hit him, to stop the throbbing.
"So, that made you feel bad." Steve pieced together his problem. He somehow looked a lot calmer to her.
Raph nodded yes, and let out another guttural sigh. He walked over to the counter and rested his forehead on his arms. If nothing more, he would love to finish beating some justice into that snitch of a brother.
"Do you want to talk to him, your Master, about all this?" Steve paused behind him."I'll let you call on our phone."
"You got to be kiddin'," Raph didn't look up.
"No, I want you to call."
Raph stood up and faced her.
"I know you want to," Steve saw a glint of hope in Raph's eyes. "C'mon,"
"What I really want is a judge and jury," Raph followed her. But she stopped by the back door.
"We're going to the barn office," Steve handed him a pair of muck boots, "Voices carry. And, I need to get some paperwork done."
Raph heard Leo's voice as he talked to Mike on the other side of the wall. He pulled his coat from the hook on the wall and followed Steve out the door.
Mike tried again to reason with Leo about what was going on between him and Raph. "Look, I don't want to loose my cash flow. It's, it's not the money itself, it gets us the things we need. Like food, first aid, computer stuff..."
Leo sat in the chair caddie corner to him. He didn't look moved, just kind of sick.
"Yeah, so April's giving us wages for stuff we do for her...but she can't--I mean, it's like she's supporting us like kids. Like it's some kind of allowance."
"I know. That's bothering me too," Leo nodded. "But you lied to Splinter when he asked about the money and the gambling."
Mike rocked forward in the couch and looked at the floor. "I was afraid of what Splinter would do when he heard my truth. So I lied, even with Raph right there. I wasn't sure if he, Splinter, knew if I was lying..." Maybe I should try being a lawyer...
"Mikey, get a grip and 'fess up to him. You, you should know about lying, c'mon." Leo gripped Mike's shoulders. Mike lifted up his eyes. "If you could see how it's eating at Raphael. Dammit, you're lying is hurting us more than Splinter."
"Then top it off with this..." Mike muttered. He wondered if Leo realized he had intended to use the trip to think out this gambling problem. Mike knew the second he denied it to Splinter, he already started to dig his grave. But the funeral arrangements haven't been made. "Leo," Mike put his hands on his brother's arms, "god...I'm sorry. We better just go back home. Raph's right, this going here for horses is a dead end."
After Don heard the backdoor close, he came back down the stairs. He paused by the doorway to the living room to listened Leo and Mike talk. "Leo?"
Leo hesitated and looked at Don.
Don stepped into the room, "What did Splinter say?"
"Good timing," Leo gestured him to join them.
Don sat on the floor and crossed his legs.
"Raph, is he okay?" Leo wondered.
"I think so," Don leaned toward the two, "You should've seen it, Steve slapped him cross his face."
"No way!" Mike shook his head. "What he do after that?"
"Nothing! Steve somehow... pacified him. She just spoke to him, and tamed him...sorta like what Splinter does." Don explained.
Mike smiled somewhat. Like he was a horse, I bet.
Leo also shook his head. "Anyway, what Splinter told me was...."
Steve walked back into the office. Raph was sitting on the couch. He had his head back and eyes closed, like he was in thought. The phone sat next to him with the receiver back in place.
"Work out some misunderstandings?" Steve asked from behind her desk.
Raph suddenly sat up, "Yea--yeah."
"That's good," she shuffled some papers. "Look, I'd like you to help me and Ryan finish stripping the last of the stalls in the training barn. They shouldn't be a day long project, but there are today."
Raph walked the phone back to the desk. Her request was not good news to his ears either.
"Yes, I want you to." Steve stood in the doorway, then smiled. "It's a great way to blow off steam."
"Shoveling shit?"
"Yeah, 'shit happens, but we all must deal with it'. Isn't that what you told Gary." She looked at him with a twisted smile.
The three decided first thing tomorrow morning that they'd head back to New York City. Mike set out to the barn to find Raph and Steve and tell them of the news. He also felt he should talk to Raph, if he was in the mood. If not, they were just going to have to take it outside.
Leo still wanted to go to a lumber shop when Steve picked up Todd. They should leave the place in good shape, considering. In his search for Steve, Leo found Raph and Ryan in the training barn having a good time cleaning stalls. Apparently, Ryan made a bet he could clean all the stalls on his half of the barn before Raph did. Raph was a couple stalls behind and being a sore loser about it.
"Welcome to the Manure Movers of America." Mike walked into the barn with Steve.
"You!" Raph stepped out of the stall with a pitchfork in hand. He looked at the pitchfork, then Mike. "Pitchforks, could be a primitive form of sai...wanna see how effective they are?"
Mike glanced at Leo and gave Raph a modest smile. "Uh, lemme find a wheat thrasher, and I'll take ya on. Look, you wanna talk first?"
Raph speared the pitchfork into the piles on the manure spreader. "I've dealt with worse shit than you in the past half hour." He followed Mike from the barn.
Steve turned to Leo. "So you're moving on tomorrow."
He nodded. "First thing in the morning. I will fix the banister by tonight."
She picked up on his subtle request. "I'll be in the house for a few minutes before I leave. Oh, could I ask of one more favor? Could your brothers help Ryan do the evening feeding?"
"I don't see why not," Leo watched her leave the barn. We've been here for almost a day...why do I feel like I've known her for longer? Behind him, he heard Ryan toss his pitchfork into the back of the manure spreader.
"I gotta spread this out in the back forty before we start feeding. Need a ride back to the main barn?" Ryan stood next to the John Deere.
Leo made eye contact with Ryan and smiled. This was actually the first time he's met this kid Steve spoke so much about. "I guess." He eyed the tractor.
"Hop on," Ryan started the engine.
The two of them were silent for a moment. Leo held his gaze upon the pasture to his left as he stood on the back of the tractor. It rolled along at slow speed, which seemed strange. He had seen it go faster.
"You and your friends...you're not human, are you?" Ryan finally asked him.
Leo glared at him.
"I mean, I'm sorry. But I can sense it, like you're actually animal." Ryan glanced up to Leo with a forgiving expression. "I'm sort of...telepathic with animals, horses in particular. With humans, I sense nothing. But I sense a lot from you, Raphael, and Mike-"
"You're right. We're not human," Leo sighed.
Ryan read Leo's discomfort he exposed. "You can keep this between you and me,"
Leo shrugged. "Actually, Ryan, you're the last to find out. Steve and Mick already know."
"So I'm not important?" Ryan looked at him with a sarcastic expression.
"Steve thought so...besides, we're leaving tomorrow." The tractor came to a halt next to the main barn.
"Don't worry about it then," Ryan left Leo with his promise.
Leo had the intention of getting some practice in soon as they finished feeding and watering the horses. The barn's arena was good for it, not to mention being warmer than outside.
"Oh okay, Leo gots cold steel, an' I'm stuck with bare hands." Mike cracked his fists. If he 'd known they were going to do this, he would have brought his chuks.
"You ninja, anything can be used for defense." Don quoted Splinter's tip.
"Well, I'm having a little trouble finding that wheat thrasher," Mike turned to Raph.
"Ahh, just hop on a horse and joist with pitchforks." Raph groaned.
"Hey, that's a good idea!" Don pointed out, "You guys can spar, while Mike and I try things out on horseback!" He gave Mike a 'three'.
"Psyche!" Mike grinned at Raph and Leo.
"Karate then?" Leo asked.
"Goju Ryu style?" Raph glanced once at Mike, "I still want t' settle somethin'."
Not after they started to really get down, Mike heard something unusual outside.
"Yeah right, you just didn't want your butt kicked." Raph denied him.
"No really! I did hear somethin' uncool. Like a gate opening and hoof beats." Mike tried to convince him. He had a feeling it was Ryan. Now would not be a good time for him to come in the barn.
Don stopped to listen. "He's right! It might be..." They looked at the front door of the barn, just when they heard a neigh come from that direction.
"Shit, let's split!" Raph was already over the railing around the arena.
Ryan came in the barn with Danza close beside him. He walked the stallion to the grooming stalll and clipped the lines to the halter. The stallion's ears pricked. His enhanced hearing picked up a few noises from the hayloft above the stalls. The stallion lifted his neck up a bit. He just could not recognize what those sounds were.
Ryan noticed Danza's tension as he quickly brushed him down. The dark red stallion briefly nuzzled the kid, then looked toward the direction of the mares again. Ryan just shook his head and chuckled, "No, you're not gettin' any today."
Apparently, Leo was suffering from the need to sneeze, which wasn't helped by the dusty hayloft. Raph also put his hand over Leo's mouth to make sure Leo wouldn't be heard.
They watched Ryan lead the stallion to his stall, then left the barn at the other end.
After Ryan closed the barn door, Don sighed, "Cost's clear, guys." He stood up by Eclypse, who nudged him with her muzzle. "Thanks for the escape." Don quickly closed the stall door behind him.
"He's gone, you can snort at me now." Mike nervously grinned at Over and Out. Her alert ears and flared nostrils indicated she did not like his sudden presence. "It's like... awl shit!"
"What was that?" Don wondered.
"I jist steepped in hoss shet," Mike took on a hill-billy drawl as he scraped his shoe on the side of the stall door.
Don burst out laughing, turning away from the stall.
Over and Out didn't seem to pay any attention to his distress now. She discovered some more hay in the sawdust. Mike looked at Over with narrowed eyes, "Don't tell me y'got the runs now."
Raph jumped down and walked into Over and Out's stall. He had to wash his hands in the water bucket. "Probably goin' to be the next one to get sick."
"You didn't have to do that." Leo flipped down from the loft.
"Great, now yer gonna make Over sick too." Mike told Raph as he closed the filly's stall door.
"Nah, I don't think your influenza is zoonotic with horses." Don crossed his arms in thought.
Later, Raph and Mike wasted time watching television in the living room. It was more than obvious that nothing was going to happen for awhile. They also had everything packed and ready to go for tomorrow. Leo and Don were upstairs fixing the rods on the banister.
"Okay Mikey, will you stop," Raph begged.
"Hold on, I think I found a most excellent something on this one channel." Mike swallowed a bite of apple pie. He flashed through more channels.
"Gimme that," Raph jumped on Mike to wrestle the remote from him.
Mike held the plate up in futile attempt. "Hey, watch my piece a' pie!"
Leo walked into the room and sat down on the couch. He looked at Raph pinning Mike on the floor. Why do I always have to play Splinter for you guys? "Give him the remote, Mike...before you two break it, or get pie on their carpet," Leo told him with his usual matter-of-fact tone.
"Thanks Leo." Raph got the remote from Mike.
Mike got up from the floor. Yeah, thanks Leo...I almost got it from him. He set his plate on the coffee table and sat on the couch. After just one look, he could tell Leo was not getting any better. "Whoa, looking not good. You feel okay?"
"Bad enough to want some of your Nyquil." Leo tried to smile. He sat back and closed his eyes. "Ryan...there's something 'bout him," he almost spoke to himself.
"Huh?"
"He knows...Ryan. He figured it out we weren't human. Finally asked me today." Leo sat up to explain to them.
"Point being?" Raph turned the mute on the TV.
"Just weird how he figured that out...said he was telepathic too."
"That settles it, this place is definitely a funny farm." Raph snorted.
Mike gave Raph a suspicious look. "You didn't say anything to him?" But, I did sense something bizarre from Ryan a couple times...like a connection. Or something soul-a-mental.
"No." Raph turned the volume back on. "But we're leavin' tomorrow, so what difference does it make?"
"Ryan seemed to imply that too," Leo rested his hand on his chin and watched the TV screen.
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