Chapter 2
Two Months Later
"Maybe you shouldn't do this." Samantha Carpenter told her best friend while they were both at her house. Christina sighed slightly and shifted her weight on her friend's bed. She went through the contents of the box again for the millionth time.
"I have too. I have to thank him for what he did." Christina exclaimed, siting up. "From what I gather, only April O'Neal knows where they are. I mean she's the only one who reports nice about them."
"Maybe she might have just gotten saved by them once and she just feels grateful?"
"Yeah, but how does she always know the inside details of everything they do?"
"She could be just a great reporter?"
Christina felt like pulling her honey blonde hair out. "No one is that good. Besides, I have to do it, even if it's just a wild goose chase. If nothing else, I can get her to relay a message for by telecast."
"That's true. So when are we going?"
Christina shook her head. "No, I can't have you coming with me.It's too dangerous for you."
"Oh, and it's not for you? You nearly got killed by those Foot men."
If Christina ever regretted Samantha catching her in the girl's locker room unchanging and seeing her scar it was now. Samantha was the closest thing to a best friend since she left Louisiana. She was afraid to call her a best friend since the attack. Christina felt herself being followed places and she wasn't sure if it was the turtle or the Footmen. She hoped it was the former since she didn't want to go up against the Footmen any time soon. She didn't want anyone she cared about to get hurt. She couldn't stand losing someone else.
"Sam. I need to do this alone. Please understand this.I don't mean to be distant, I just don't want anybody to get hurt. Just be my alibi, okay? If my mom calls, tell her I'm in the bathroom, or get your brother to tell him that we're at the library."
"Okay, okay.so when are you doing it?" Samantha gave up with a deep sigh.
"Tonight"
"What? Why?"
"Cuz there is no time like the present."
"But it's raining out."
"Water never hurt anyone, and it's least possible for the Foot to follow me." Christina shuddered slightly at the memory of them. She had read up on them once she learned about them on one of Miss O'Neal's broadcasts. They had mysteriously shown up again, but it was not lead by the former leader that they had originally had. She didn't get much info about the former leader but she had tons of information about the Foot clan. They studied the marital art of Ninja Su. It was the same fighting skills of the turtle, though his was much more intense and so much better than the Foot.
"I'm guessing there is no way for me to talk you out of this?" Samantha finally stated looking straight at her friend. Christina nodded and got off the bed and gave Samantha a hug. She hugged back tightly. "Then be careful, okay? And good luck. You need it."
Christina smiled. "Jeez, you act like I'm never going to come back." They both laughed, though Sam's was more forced. Christina grabbed her backpack that contained her schoolbooks, then thought better of it. She handed it to Samantha. "Hold on to this and the articles in the box." She motioned to the box she had on the bed. "I'll be back for it in about an hour and a half." Christina left her friend's apartment quickly and ran out into the rain. She looked around her to make sure she wasn't being followed and ran towards where April's apartment was located.
***
"You got nothing?" Donatello asked April over the phone. He heard April sigh.
"Sorry, Donnie. I checked all the hospitals and clinics and none of them say anything of a girl coming on that day or any days after with the wound you described. I tried to look in the school district but nobody has said anything."
"Man.I just want to know if she's okay."
"Well, it doesn't help that you didn't get a name."
"Sorry. She ran off before I could get to."
"Well.I could try in New Jersey. She might have been afraid to tell her parents and the Foot also so she went to Jersey to get it taken care of."
"Or her parents moved before she could get hurt again."
"That too. Listen, Donnie. I'm going to try my hardest, okay. Don't worry. You don't need the added stress now that the Foots out again."
"You sound like Splinter."
"He's a wise rat."
"Yeah."
"Donnie, get some rest. Okay?" Donnie suddenly heard a buzzer and then April sigh. "That's the door. Let me go see who it is, okay? Then I'm going to make some calls and see what I can get."
"Thanks again, April. Just call me as soon as you can, kay? Bye."
"Bye, Donatello." Donatello hung up and sighed. He only hoped that she could find something soon.
***
April went to the COM and pressed the button. "Yes, can I help you?"
"April O'Neal?" A young lady's voice came through the speaker. April cocked her head. 'Why would a young girl be out there in the middle of this weather?'
"Yes, who are you?"
"I just need to ask you a few questions, can I come up?"
"What about?"
"Please, it's raining and it's cold.and I don't think you want me talk about it over the intercom. People might be listening."
"Why?"
"It's about some friends of yours." April quickly pressed the button to unlock the front door.
"I'm on the third floor, second door to your left."
"Thank you!" Then there was silence, indicated to April that the girl was on her way. Less than a minute later there was a knock on the door. April looked through the peephole and saw a wet young girl with a large jacket and hat covering her head and most of her face it was down so low. Her hair dripping and she was shivering slightly. She opened the door and let her in.
"Come in quick and take off that wet jacket before you catch your death. What is so important you risk getting sick to talk to me?"
The girl came in quickly, took off the jacket and placed it on a rack she had just seen. April looked at her waiting for her to answer.
"I came to ask some questions."
"About the turtles I assume."
"Yeah, sorta."
"What do you mean, sorta?" The girl took off another layer of clothing, which was an over shirt that at first April thought was also wet but she quickly realized she was showing her something when she saw a purple bandana over the upper part of the girl left arm. April gasped when the girl tugged the bandana off and saw a deep scar that was hidden under it. April couldn't help herself and grabbed her upper arm softly and examined the scar. "Oh, my God.You're the girl I've been looking for."
"You were looking for me?"
"Yes, Donatello's been so worried about you. He practically went on bend and knees to beg me to find you. He wanted to make sure that you were okay."
The girl blushed. "Donatello's his name? Wow.yeah, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore, either."
"What's your name? How did you get this treated? We looked all over NYC and surround cities' hospitals to see if you check in there. Clinics too."
"My name is Christina. And I went to a clinic in Jersey so my mom wouldn't find out."
April smiled. "I knew it. I had just had gotten off the phone with him when you came. Wow, he's going to be so relieved."
Christina smiled also, then shivered slightly when she felt a small draft hit her. April caught this and brought her to the sofa. "Stay here. I'll get you a blanket and something warm to drink. Tea or Cocoa?"
"Cocoa, please. Thanks." Christina did as she was told and sat down. She looked around April's apartment and saw pictures of people. One of them had April and a man with dark rugged looks. Another is of a young man that couldn't be much older than herself. Others were of people who looked like April, like a woman with blonde hair that look a little older than April was. April came back with a blanket and covered it over Christina's shoulder. Christina smiled up at her and hugged the blanket tighter.
"The water is boiling, it should be ready soon. Why don't I call Don and tell him that I found you, kay?" Christina nodded as April picked up the phone. She dialed the number quickly and sat down on the coffee table, facing Christina with a smile. "Donnie? Its April.I think I found our girl."
Christina smiled, then noticed some motion happening behind April. She turned her eyes to the window and screamed. Three Foot solders jumped threw the window and the glass flew in April's and Christina's direction. Christina grabbed April and pushed her down before the glass could get her and then fell down on top of her. She felt the glass slide over her back and she bit back a scream. She faintly heard April talking on the phone, telling Donatello that they were under attack. As soon as she knew it was okay to get up, Christina got up and uncovered April, wincing at the pain in her back. April quickly stood, grabbing Christina to her and placed a protective arm around her while the Foot soldiers filed into the apartment and surrounded them. Christina gave a short cry to April. "I'm so sorry, April! They must of followed me.I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay, sweetheart. It's not your fault." April said softly, rubbing the younger woman's arm.
"What do you want?" April asked bravely. She was used to having the Foot after her, but she knew that Christina might be the target since she had beaten up some of them and they might want to pay her back.
One of the Foot men stood out in front of the others and spoke to her. "All we want is the child. Hand her over and no harm will be done to you."
"Drop dead." April spat and Christina moaned a 'No' as the April spit at him. The ninja slapped April and Christina kicked him in the gut, then quickly getting out April's embrace and attacked the next soldier with a punch in the gut. She ignored the pain in her back as she moved around another attacker and tripped him into the soldier in front of him, knocking them both down. She fought her hardest. She hit, she kicked, she punched, and even bit the soldiers, but soon the pain started to wear in and her muscles started to cramp up and burn. Plain and simple she was tiring out, and that wasn't a good thing. Every attack she blocked, three more came upon her.
Just like the last attack, she just barely saw the sai coming at her. Unlike last time, she didn't move fast enough and the longest spike on the weapon sliced through her stomach, blood spilling everywhere. Christina fell to the ground.
April stared in horror. "Christina no!" Just then, a crash sounded though out the apartment and then the sound of fighting. April sighed with relief when she saw Leonardo's head duck out of the crowd shortly to check the scene. April worked her way to Christina quickly and gathered the almost lifeless body of the young girl into her arm. A flash back came to her only a few years ago when she had to hold Raphael after he had been attacked and seriously injured. April held an arm over the wound on Christina's stomach to try and stop the bleeding. Once she looked up again, she saw that the swarms of Foot soldiers lessen a great deal and only a few remained and those were fighting the turtles. Donatello fought off his few ninjas and quickly came over to April. He looked down in her arms and felt a pang in his heart.
"Oh, no." Donatello nearly cursed when he looked at the young girls injures. "Here, give her to me."
April quickly complied with him and she let him easily lift Christina into his arms. She got up and stood next to him. "Leonardo!" The leader of the turtles turned his head slightly to Donatello and nodded when the other turtle motioned that he was taking Christina out of there. April followed Donatello out as he carried the injured girl out of the apartment and into the sewer, while making sure no Foot followed them. April quickly saw that he had already started to head to his home.
"Donnie.why are we heading to the lair? She needs a hospital." April protested, extremely worried about Christina. Donatello shook his head.
"No, the Foot will find her there.Mikey and Splinter will be able to stitch her up and heal her." He didn't add that he at least hoped so, for he didn't want to worry April anymore. "But we need to hurry, she's bleeding a lot. We need to stop the bleeding as fast as possible. Or she'll die." Donatello stopped talking and just ran faster to the lair.
Two Months Later
"Maybe you shouldn't do this." Samantha Carpenter told her best friend while they were both at her house. Christina sighed slightly and shifted her weight on her friend's bed. She went through the contents of the box again for the millionth time.
"I have too. I have to thank him for what he did." Christina exclaimed, siting up. "From what I gather, only April O'Neal knows where they are. I mean she's the only one who reports nice about them."
"Maybe she might have just gotten saved by them once and she just feels grateful?"
"Yeah, but how does she always know the inside details of everything they do?"
"She could be just a great reporter?"
Christina felt like pulling her honey blonde hair out. "No one is that good. Besides, I have to do it, even if it's just a wild goose chase. If nothing else, I can get her to relay a message for by telecast."
"That's true. So when are we going?"
Christina shook her head. "No, I can't have you coming with me.It's too dangerous for you."
"Oh, and it's not for you? You nearly got killed by those Foot men."
If Christina ever regretted Samantha catching her in the girl's locker room unchanging and seeing her scar it was now. Samantha was the closest thing to a best friend since she left Louisiana. She was afraid to call her a best friend since the attack. Christina felt herself being followed places and she wasn't sure if it was the turtle or the Footmen. She hoped it was the former since she didn't want to go up against the Footmen any time soon. She didn't want anyone she cared about to get hurt. She couldn't stand losing someone else.
"Sam. I need to do this alone. Please understand this.I don't mean to be distant, I just don't want anybody to get hurt. Just be my alibi, okay? If my mom calls, tell her I'm in the bathroom, or get your brother to tell him that we're at the library."
"Okay, okay.so when are you doing it?" Samantha gave up with a deep sigh.
"Tonight"
"What? Why?"
"Cuz there is no time like the present."
"But it's raining out."
"Water never hurt anyone, and it's least possible for the Foot to follow me." Christina shuddered slightly at the memory of them. She had read up on them once she learned about them on one of Miss O'Neal's broadcasts. They had mysteriously shown up again, but it was not lead by the former leader that they had originally had. She didn't get much info about the former leader but she had tons of information about the Foot clan. They studied the marital art of Ninja Su. It was the same fighting skills of the turtle, though his was much more intense and so much better than the Foot.
"I'm guessing there is no way for me to talk you out of this?" Samantha finally stated looking straight at her friend. Christina nodded and got off the bed and gave Samantha a hug. She hugged back tightly. "Then be careful, okay? And good luck. You need it."
Christina smiled. "Jeez, you act like I'm never going to come back." They both laughed, though Sam's was more forced. Christina grabbed her backpack that contained her schoolbooks, then thought better of it. She handed it to Samantha. "Hold on to this and the articles in the box." She motioned to the box she had on the bed. "I'll be back for it in about an hour and a half." Christina left her friend's apartment quickly and ran out into the rain. She looked around her to make sure she wasn't being followed and ran towards where April's apartment was located.
***
"You got nothing?" Donatello asked April over the phone. He heard April sigh.
"Sorry, Donnie. I checked all the hospitals and clinics and none of them say anything of a girl coming on that day or any days after with the wound you described. I tried to look in the school district but nobody has said anything."
"Man.I just want to know if she's okay."
"Well, it doesn't help that you didn't get a name."
"Sorry. She ran off before I could get to."
"Well.I could try in New Jersey. She might have been afraid to tell her parents and the Foot also so she went to Jersey to get it taken care of."
"Or her parents moved before she could get hurt again."
"That too. Listen, Donnie. I'm going to try my hardest, okay. Don't worry. You don't need the added stress now that the Foots out again."
"You sound like Splinter."
"He's a wise rat."
"Yeah."
"Donnie, get some rest. Okay?" Donnie suddenly heard a buzzer and then April sigh. "That's the door. Let me go see who it is, okay? Then I'm going to make some calls and see what I can get."
"Thanks again, April. Just call me as soon as you can, kay? Bye."
"Bye, Donatello." Donatello hung up and sighed. He only hoped that she could find something soon.
***
April went to the COM and pressed the button. "Yes, can I help you?"
"April O'Neal?" A young lady's voice came through the speaker. April cocked her head. 'Why would a young girl be out there in the middle of this weather?'
"Yes, who are you?"
"I just need to ask you a few questions, can I come up?"
"What about?"
"Please, it's raining and it's cold.and I don't think you want me talk about it over the intercom. People might be listening."
"Why?"
"It's about some friends of yours." April quickly pressed the button to unlock the front door.
"I'm on the third floor, second door to your left."
"Thank you!" Then there was silence, indicated to April that the girl was on her way. Less than a minute later there was a knock on the door. April looked through the peephole and saw a wet young girl with a large jacket and hat covering her head and most of her face it was down so low. Her hair dripping and she was shivering slightly. She opened the door and let her in.
"Come in quick and take off that wet jacket before you catch your death. What is so important you risk getting sick to talk to me?"
The girl came in quickly, took off the jacket and placed it on a rack she had just seen. April looked at her waiting for her to answer.
"I came to ask some questions."
"About the turtles I assume."
"Yeah, sorta."
"What do you mean, sorta?" The girl took off another layer of clothing, which was an over shirt that at first April thought was also wet but she quickly realized she was showing her something when she saw a purple bandana over the upper part of the girl left arm. April gasped when the girl tugged the bandana off and saw a deep scar that was hidden under it. April couldn't help herself and grabbed her upper arm softly and examined the scar. "Oh, my God.You're the girl I've been looking for."
"You were looking for me?"
"Yes, Donatello's been so worried about you. He practically went on bend and knees to beg me to find you. He wanted to make sure that you were okay."
The girl blushed. "Donatello's his name? Wow.yeah, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore, either."
"What's your name? How did you get this treated? We looked all over NYC and surround cities' hospitals to see if you check in there. Clinics too."
"My name is Christina. And I went to a clinic in Jersey so my mom wouldn't find out."
April smiled. "I knew it. I had just had gotten off the phone with him when you came. Wow, he's going to be so relieved."
Christina smiled also, then shivered slightly when she felt a small draft hit her. April caught this and brought her to the sofa. "Stay here. I'll get you a blanket and something warm to drink. Tea or Cocoa?"
"Cocoa, please. Thanks." Christina did as she was told and sat down. She looked around April's apartment and saw pictures of people. One of them had April and a man with dark rugged looks. Another is of a young man that couldn't be much older than herself. Others were of people who looked like April, like a woman with blonde hair that look a little older than April was. April came back with a blanket and covered it over Christina's shoulder. Christina smiled up at her and hugged the blanket tighter.
"The water is boiling, it should be ready soon. Why don't I call Don and tell him that I found you, kay?" Christina nodded as April picked up the phone. She dialed the number quickly and sat down on the coffee table, facing Christina with a smile. "Donnie? Its April.I think I found our girl."
Christina smiled, then noticed some motion happening behind April. She turned her eyes to the window and screamed. Three Foot solders jumped threw the window and the glass flew in April's and Christina's direction. Christina grabbed April and pushed her down before the glass could get her and then fell down on top of her. She felt the glass slide over her back and she bit back a scream. She faintly heard April talking on the phone, telling Donatello that they were under attack. As soon as she knew it was okay to get up, Christina got up and uncovered April, wincing at the pain in her back. April quickly stood, grabbing Christina to her and placed a protective arm around her while the Foot soldiers filed into the apartment and surrounded them. Christina gave a short cry to April. "I'm so sorry, April! They must of followed me.I'm so sorry!"
"It's okay, sweetheart. It's not your fault." April said softly, rubbing the younger woman's arm.
"What do you want?" April asked bravely. She was used to having the Foot after her, but she knew that Christina might be the target since she had beaten up some of them and they might want to pay her back.
One of the Foot men stood out in front of the others and spoke to her. "All we want is the child. Hand her over and no harm will be done to you."
"Drop dead." April spat and Christina moaned a 'No' as the April spit at him. The ninja slapped April and Christina kicked him in the gut, then quickly getting out April's embrace and attacked the next soldier with a punch in the gut. She ignored the pain in her back as she moved around another attacker and tripped him into the soldier in front of him, knocking them both down. She fought her hardest. She hit, she kicked, she punched, and even bit the soldiers, but soon the pain started to wear in and her muscles started to cramp up and burn. Plain and simple she was tiring out, and that wasn't a good thing. Every attack she blocked, three more came upon her.
Just like the last attack, she just barely saw the sai coming at her. Unlike last time, she didn't move fast enough and the longest spike on the weapon sliced through her stomach, blood spilling everywhere. Christina fell to the ground.
April stared in horror. "Christina no!" Just then, a crash sounded though out the apartment and then the sound of fighting. April sighed with relief when she saw Leonardo's head duck out of the crowd shortly to check the scene. April worked her way to Christina quickly and gathered the almost lifeless body of the young girl into her arm. A flash back came to her only a few years ago when she had to hold Raphael after he had been attacked and seriously injured. April held an arm over the wound on Christina's stomach to try and stop the bleeding. Once she looked up again, she saw that the swarms of Foot soldiers lessen a great deal and only a few remained and those were fighting the turtles. Donatello fought off his few ninjas and quickly came over to April. He looked down in her arms and felt a pang in his heart.
"Oh, no." Donatello nearly cursed when he looked at the young girls injures. "Here, give her to me."
April quickly complied with him and she let him easily lift Christina into his arms. She got up and stood next to him. "Leonardo!" The leader of the turtles turned his head slightly to Donatello and nodded when the other turtle motioned that he was taking Christina out of there. April followed Donatello out as he carried the injured girl out of the apartment and into the sewer, while making sure no Foot followed them. April quickly saw that he had already started to head to his home.
"Donnie.why are we heading to the lair? She needs a hospital." April protested, extremely worried about Christina. Donatello shook his head.
"No, the Foot will find her there.Mikey and Splinter will be able to stitch her up and heal her." He didn't add that he at least hoped so, for he didn't want to worry April anymore. "But we need to hurry, she's bleeding a lot. We need to stop the bleeding as fast as possible. Or she'll die." Donatello stopped talking and just ran faster to the lair.