Hey guys! Hope you had a great Halloween yesterday! It's always my favouraite time of year and I do feel flat when it's over, but like all good things, they must come to and end and I can look forward to it next year.
I also managed to finished my TMNT Halloween Special 'October Surprises' which I hope you enjoyed if you read it, but now that's over I can focus on this fic as well as 'My Saviour' and 'Mobius Blood and Tears, Rise of the Freedom Fighters' Unless of course I'm attacked by a plot bunny!
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this long awaited chapter!
Chapter Thirty-Two
"You idiots! You fools! You let them go again!?"
The Venomous Five winced as the words from Izo Arashi rang in their ears.
"Master…" Komodo Dragon tried to speak as he knelt on the floor with his head down, the other members of the Venomous Five following his lead, along with the other Seavites.
After they had returned from being chased away by the police, they along with the Ninja had returned to Headquarters, and as one would expect, their masters were not impressed with what they found out.
"Shut up!" Arashi screamed "I send you out to do one thing! You outnumber those freaks and yet you still don't deliver!"
"It wasn't our fault!" Komodo Dragon protested "The cops scared us off! And we follow the same rules to not let the public see us!"
Shredder sat on his throne and sipped his sake calmly, yet his eyes burned with anger, Dr Arden had his arms folded and his syringe fingers tapped his arms as he watched his Master yell at the Venomous Five and Dr Paradigm also observed.
This wasn't anything new to Dr Arden, since he was used to the Venomous Five coming back with reports of failure rather than success, but it didn't please him.
If anything, it infuriated him, but he still counted his lucky stars that unlike some of his other creations, the Venomous Five always came back alive, if not a little worse for wear when he sent them out to scout or hunt.
"The cops scared you off!?" Arashi shouted.
"Like yeah!" Cobra hissed standing up agitated "Didn't you hear us the first time?"
Arashi went silent and he took a breath, his face going purple.
"Cobra!" Gila Monster growled.
"You stupid idiot!" Black Mamba snarled "Don't you ever know when to shut up?"
Normally Cobra would hiss in defiance, but this time, as she watched Arashi, she was starting to regret what she said.
Arashi placed his hand on his katana but before he could unsheathe it to unleash his anger on the Venomous Five, Shredder held up his hand.
"Cease! Arashi!"
Everyone turned to look at the Shredder who calmly stood up and walked over.
The Venomous Five, the Seavites and the Ninja looked worried as the Lord of the Foot Clan walked over.
Even though he looked calm, they knew that deep down he was ready to do his worst if he was angry enough.
"So, the Police intervened." Shredder mused "And yourselves and the turtles and their Shark allies were forced to retreat."
He then looked at the Ninja and as his eyes glazed over them, he realised they were one short.
"And from what I can observe, there is one missing from your group, Foot Ninja!"
The Venomous Five looked over and they too realised before looking back at the Shredder.
Arashi's eyes went wide.
"Only one fell?" he asked.
"If they didn't fall." Dr Arden suggested, "Then what if the Turtles and their Lizard whore took them down, and interrogated them?"
"NO!" Dr Paradigm shouted, "Then those freaks would find out about our plans!"
As he got angry, his face contorted, and the sharp teeth appeared, and his eyes popped right out of their sockets showing his piranha mutation.
Arashi grimaced and looked away.
"I'm never going to get used to that..." he thought to himself "I thought Dr Arden's scars were bad enough when I first saw them!"
Dr Arden was also furious, and he held up his syringes as he looked at the Venomous Five and the Seavites.
Komodo Dragon noticed the doctor's look and he gulped.
"Guys…" he mouthed and the other Venomous Five realised and they felt terrified knowing the punishment that would follow.
But to their surprise, Dr Arden lowered his syringes and he smirked.
"Master Shredder, Master Arashi." He spoke then turned to Paradigm.
"Luthor."
Dr Paradigm turned to Dr Arden, his piranha features still on his face, yet he listened.
"If I am correct, if the turtles, Monalisa and the Sharks have learnt of what is going on within the Headquarters, no doubt they will come and try to stop us!"
Shredder, Arashi and Paradigm were silent as they looked at Dr Arden.
"It has happened before." Dr Arden spoke again "They had tried to infiltrate, and may I be honest in saying, they have succeeded in stopping us, but we have a bigger advantage and are one step ahead."
Arashi's eyes narrowed as he listened to the doctor and his head scientist, he could count the many times the Hamato Clan had managed to stop him and Dr Arden in their plans, whether it involved the time they captured Tyroth the Dragon for his powers, the time they had kidnapped his sister and his family and also the time they worked with a scientist from another dimension to create the ultimate weapon.
He was apprehensive but he was always willing to listen to his faithful servant and friend.
Giving the Venomous Five, the Seavites and the Ninja a glare he turned to face Shredder, Dr Arden, and Paradigm.
"You're dismissed!" he barked.
"So are you!" Paradigm ordered the Seavites, and as quickly as they could, the Ninja, the Seavites, and the Venomous Five left the throne room.
As they left, Nile Monitor looked at Komodo Dragon.
"Do you think we've dodged a bullet chief?" he asked.
Komodo Dragon looked over his shoulder at the door.
"Don't hold your breath Nile!" he growled "Let us return to our quarters and await our fate, if there is one."
Back in the lair, the Hamato Clan and the Sharks had spoken about what had happened that night and decided to make the decision that the next night they would go into attacking the Foot Headquarters, just like the Turtles and Monalisa did when they had to save Tyroth when he was captured by the Foot and the same when Tyroth's family had been kidnapped and held hostage by the Foot.
"We go in there, guns blazing!" Leonardo declared "Okay, maybe not guns, but weapons drawn, and we take them down! If humanity is at stake, we will risk all to stop them!"
"Man, I wish we could just go in there now!" Jab growled.
"No way man!" Ripster said sternly "The sun will be rising in less than an hour, we must wait until dark."
Leonardo nodded.
"First thing tomorrow, we will take the battle shell to the same place we normally leave it, so we are at a safe distance from the headquarters." He said, "We'll leave it at that alleyway we left in when we had to rescue Tyroth's family."
"Good idea Leo!" Donatello agreed.
"Casey, Bends and I will monitor the Battle Shell as well as use the computers Donatello installed within to hack the Foot's Systems so you can get in without being detected!" April offered.
"Thanks April!" Leonardo said.
"I have a map of the Headquarters!" Donatello suggested "Both digital and paper, and we can look at the different entrances and exits to take."
"And we'll split into teams!" Monalisa said "Like we always do!"
Everyone agreed and started to look at the maps and pointing out the different areas.
At the same time, Pandora and Kemeko watched the grown-ups converse and Pandora looked up.
"May I give my input?" she announced.
Everyone looked at Pandora.
"Pandora! No!" Kemeko hissed.
"You're not going to suggest you join us?" Raphael asked with a glare.
Pandora frowned at her father.
"No, of course not!" she retorted.
Streex gave Pandora a playful look.
"After what I've seen you do Kiddo." He said, "You're one ace fighter, but you should listen to your dad!"
"After what you went through not long ago in Mutopia?" Raphael reminded Pandora "You might have shown spirit, but I'm not prepared to have you join us in the field yet!"
As Raphael mentioned that, the Hamato Clan, April and Casey went pale.
"But dad!" Pandora spoke up even though her eye twitched slightly as she remembered what her father was talking about.
"I wasn't going to suggest I join you in breaking into the Headquarters!"
"Then what did you wish to suggest Little Geisha?" Splinter asked.
"Just that Kemeko and I join April and Casey in the Battle Shell!" Pandora spoke.
"WHAT!?" Raphael and Monalisa cried out together.
"Just as part of what we need to learn when we finally do join you!" Pandora said quickly then looked at Kemeko.
The Asian girl looked appalled, but then she began to look thoughtful.
Yes, Pandora was desperate to join her parents and Uncles in the field because she genuinely wanted to help, but this time, instead of insisting on helping as a fighter, she was suggesting being an observer and helping April and Casey from behind the scenes.
"Also!" Pandora spoke up "Hasn't Kemeko shown protentional as working as an observer and hacking after her sessions with Uncle Don?"
Leonardo frowned then he looked at Pandora, then at Kemeko and he too looked thoughtful.
What Pandora said was indeed true, and he knew both girls needed to work hard in their training, not just confined to the lair, but also outside from a distance and with technology as well.
Ripster too rubbed his chin.
"The kids got a point!" he said, "Maybe it would be a good idea for them to help April and Casey."
Pandora felt her soul light up as she felt she was being listened to.
Yet she had felt a pang in her stomach when her father mentioned an incident in Mutopia which involved her getting seriously hurt by a dangerous enemy, and luckily not killed, but she knew the reason why, and she had put her life on the line for those she cared about.
Leonardo took a breath.
"Alright, then if I, Raph, Mona, Donnie, Mikey, and the Sharks infiltrate the headquarters, Sensei, April, Casey, Bends, Pandora and Kemeko will wait in the Battle Shell and monitor the computers as well as prepare the medical equipment needed."
"Yes daddy!" Kemeko agreed and bowed.
"Is everyone in agreement?" Ripster asked his brothers and Bends and they all nodded.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried!" Slammu confessed.
"Likewise!" Jab agreed.
"Me too!" Bends added "And I'm just the eye and ears for you if needed!"
"We risk our shells and tails every time we go into enemy territory." Michelangelo said.
"But we do so with honour and no fear!" Leonardo added.
"And it is critical we act soon." Splinter spoke "Since the city as well as the world is in peril."
"Yet we cannot when the sun will rise soon." Monalisa lamented "We can only attack in darkness."
"Then I suggest we get some sleep;" Leonardo said "We will need it if we need to keep our focus! But before we retire, we agree to gather first thing once the sun sets in the kitchen to discuss our roles in the battle!"
"Agreed Leonardo!" Ripster agreed and held out his hand to the blue masked turtle and Leonardo took it and they shook hands.
"Tomorrow, we will stop Shredder and Paradigm's sinister plans!" Leonardo promised.
"We trust you man." Ripster said fervently "And we will fight alongside you until the bitter end? Right boys?"
"Right on!" The other Sharks agreed.
"It's Paradigm or us this time tomorrow!" Ripster growled.
So the Foot are preparing for the Hamato Clan and the Sharks to attack the Headquarters, and at the same time, The Hamato Clan and the Sharks are going to attack the Foot Headquarters!
And Pandora has suggested she and Kemeko join the techinal group in the Battle Shell.
We're getting close to the confrontation!
Btw, Tyroth Darkstorm and MergingEmperor7, can you guess what event in Mutopia Raphael was referring to, and Pandora and the rest of the family remembered with discomfort?